MatchMakers
by EstephanieMarronTrunks
Summary: In a world where the government chooses who your going to marry and have children with, what happens when a certain blonde and lavender haired teen are matched together.
1. Chapter 1

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 1: Infertile**

 **Hello! This is another story of mine. I was just having some major writer's block for THOM and this came to mind, so I decided to develop it. I planned to not make it such a long story, so I hope I don't exceed 25. So please, Read, Review, and favorite/follow. I will appreciate it a lot as it encourages me**

I never wanted to get married and I never wanted to have kids. It was my dream, or should I rather say goal. My name is Marron Chestnut. I live in Japan, where the birth rates are at an all-time low. Due to this tragic and shameful numbers the genius government decreed a law called Matchmaker, which is basically a government program that randomly selects who you're going to marry and have children with in the mere future.

Though this program is shown to be great for humanity especially the future of it I viewed it as a trap. A trap that will cage me with some stranger and become a baby-maker as I bear his children. I didn't want that, I wanted the very freedom to choose who I wanted to be with, who I wanted to share a deep connection with, I wanted to be the one to choose the person who would put a smile on my face every day.

But times have changed, no one had the choice anymore, the Matchmaker's were going to entrap me in some fake love in which I would have to tolerate till death did me part in order to escape. Ever since I was a child and learned of this ludicrous law I despised the fact of marriage and child bearing while many girls dreamed of what man they would end up with and how beautiful their children would be.

Society had blinded them with a fantasy, a fairytale. Marriage wasn't easy and it sure wasn't something to take lightly. And having children wasn't like getting a baby doll from the toy store and taking care of it till you forgot all about it. Having a child is raising a new life, a life that can either impact the world in a good way or a bad way, mattering on the upbringing.

There was also severe consequences when it came to denying your "match". It varied from jail time, banishment, or the whorehouse.

I had taken into consideration jail time and banishment, and in all honesty, it came more to my liking then accepting whoever my "match" would be. I wanted to explore the world, not be chained to a man and a family, what time and energy would I have to explore the world then? I wanted to be my own person, worrying only for myself.

My parents, especially my mother didn't like my beliefs of wanting to be independent. In their eyes my beliefs were just me being in some "rebellious stage" in my life and it was the hormone drugs they were having me take think like that and that when I received my "match" all this crazy talk would stop. Well they were wrong. I had these dreams...goals since I was a child, I mapped out several areas in which I wanted to travel and experience. I wanted to be free.

"Marron!"

At the calling of my name I stopped staring out the window where I received a nice view of the school's garden. I brought my attention to the front of the classroom to see my annoyed teacher scowling with her brimmed glasses hanging loosely from her pointy nose and the book she was reading the lesson from held firmly in her hand.

I decided not to apologize, this was a regular routine of mines and if I apologized today I would just end up doing it again tomorrow.

The bell rung before she had a chance to fully scold me, I smiled at the sound as I closed my notebook with the unfinished notes from the lecture. I never really fully got a chance to write all my notes in school as I drifted off into a daydream and ended up having to study extra hard when I get home.

"Mrs. Sun what about our Matchmaker's results?"

I stopped my packing at the question. I already knew the answer and I knew well the girl who asked and the other girls in the class knew the answer as well. They just wanted to spite me.

"Sorry Kelly, there's still one person in our class who didn't pass the fertility test. Until she passes or fails this class will receive their results on who their match is."

I quickly zipped my bag and exited the room, their eyes picking at my skin with their evil glares.

It'd become a fact known by every girl in this all girl school that I failed my fertility test twice already and that I had one more try to see if I could have a match or not. And obviously I wanted to fail this test for the third time, if I was infertile I couldn't get a match and I would be free.

I ignored the whispers as I walked down the hall, their attempts at trying to harass me and make me feel depressed was failing horribly. They could just enjoy their caged marriage and forced children. I was going to be living my best life without a care in the world.

In a flash I found myself out the school building and home at the dining table eating with my parents. Engulfed in silence. I mean I didn't mind as all the talk these days mentioned Matchmaker's and that sure wasn't a topic I was keen to discuss. My mother wasn't much of a talker while my father was the man always trying to keep some form of liveliness and not make things awkward when it already is. Like when my uncle comes to visit he tries in engage in small talk, but that never works out as the atmosphere just ends up being intense. I mean I liked the care, effort and enthusiasm he puts forth.

They were complete opposites really, my parents. They didn't seem too compatible as their different personalities clashed with one another, but they seemed to love each other, a love I was always trying to decipher if real or not. But my father assured me the law hadn't been declared yet when he married my mother and their love was genuine. In their case two opposites could attract. Well that fact alone still wouldn't change my mind, the world already despised me, so I know whoever my "match" would be someone I would just despise for the rest of my life.

"Your teacher called me today," my father began.

My stomach had already churned, knowing where this conversation was leading up to. Why couldn't he at least start off with how my day at school was? In which I would reply with a tolerable. Or why couldn't I have done something bad at school for once, so we would've talked about my school behavior than this.

I gave them both a quick glance as I played with my fork and broccoli.

"She sent me your results via email," he continued.

Privacy rights didn't seem to have existed when it came to Matchmakers, medical concerns, and teachers knowing all these things about me and their other students. I wanted my private stuff kept private not blasted out to the entire school. I mean I didn't care that I was infertile, but the whole world didn't need to know. Infertile people were looked upon differently, I didn't care much about the harassment, but I was still human, and I wanted to be viewed like one.

"What did it say Krillin?" my annoyed mother asked.

I almost chuckled at her impatience, she always liked getting things said and done straight from the point.

"She's still infertile," he replied, dejected.

I had already knew the results, but hearing him say and confirm it brought a large smile to my face. I'm going to be free, free from a sham marriage and free from child-bearing.

My mother had a sad look on her face and I'm pretty sure she was blaming herself at the results. My mother was infertile herself because of a tragic accident she didn't like to discuss, but she managed to have me, she had many miscarriages before I turned out to be their miracle though, maybe that was why she didn't express emotion much and why her and my father were a perfect match, he was the sun and she was the moon. The light to her darkness.

"It's fine mom. I'm actually really happy that I'm infertile, so don't be upset about the results, it's not your fault."

My words didn't seem to comfort her, maybe because I was still in my so called "rebellious" stage and they had hope that the last test I was going to take would show that I was fertile.

"Don't you want to have a family someday?" My father asked me.

I put my fork down, the smile still present, "not in this society I don't, you guys had a choice to be together, but I can most likely be matched up with some creepy weirdo who I'll have no feelings for whatsoever."

"So, you just want to be like those infertile women?" my mother stopped looking dejected her iced blue eyes giving me an intensified glare as she asked her question. The glare that could scare the living soul out of somebody.

But her words seemed to have gotten me and had me ignored the scary look in her eyes. I slammed my hands against the table to make a point as I stood up, she had crossed a line. Implying that I wanted to be like those infertile women.

"I just want to be free!"

I cursed my emotions as tears unconsciously began to leak from my eyes. I headed to my room before another word or action could be said or done.

Macthmaker's this, Matchmaker's that, it was all I heard day and night. I was sick of it. I would've thought that out of all people my parents would support me in my choices and in my beliefs, but it seemed like the fantasy they were etching into everyone's mind got to my parents as well.

I had just settled into bed and wiped my embarrassing tears away when a knock sounded on my door, without my consent the person entered through my unlocked door.

"Hey pumpkin,"

I rolled my eyes, "did she send you here?" The anger in my voice clear.

He walked up to my bed before taking a seat next to my legs.

"You know she just wants what's best for you, we both do."

I sat up to face him, my anger diminishing, "if you guys really do want what's best for me why can't you see what I believe is best for me?" I asked the question they always veered with another topic.

He sighed, "You still have one more fertility test to take and if they show that you're infertile again we'll talk about your dream," he concluded.

"Goal," I said with a smile. It was going to be a reality, I had already failed the test twice and it was going to have to be a great miracle for it to come out positive the third time.

Each girl and guy of age sixteen had to take a test to see if they were fertile or sterile, just in case the computer could have missed something they would take the test three times a few days after the last had been taken. These procedures came to action as one woman was declared infertile after one doctor's visit turned out to actually be fertile.

"Your last test is tomorrow, they've already scheduled an appointment and you'll receive the results next week during class and we'll also be notified via email of them," he kissed me goodnight.

I smiled as I mumbled a low goodnight.

After tomorrow I just had a week to hear that I was fully free.


	2. Chapter 2

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 2: Goals Turned to Distant Dreams**

I was never much of an enthusiastic person when it came to getting ready to go to school or when I was at school receiving an education, but today was different, the results that would tell me officially on paper that I was infertile was going to be passed out. Everyone in my class had been notified that today was the day they were going to receive their matches, so the atmosphere was a bit different today, it was bubbly.

I overlooked the words WHORE written on my desk as I sat down. This term was used for infertile women who decided to sell their bodies for money not fearing that they would end up pregnant, the very women my mother was implying last week at dinner. I wasn't going to be like those women, I had a goal and I was going to reach it.

I heard snickers from the side of the room and I assumed they were laughing at me as I read the bolded letters written on my desk. They were so immature.

"I can't believe we finally get our matches today."

"I know, it feels like it's been a century of waiting."

"Thanks to a certain someone."

"I can't wait to see her cry when she gets her final results of an infertile women."

"She's going to be a whore."

The room roared with giggles, they spoke of me like I wasn't a few seats down with ears. But again, I knew they wanted to spite me. I just kept my gaze on the garden outside, daydreaming of all the time I would be spending outdoors when I graduate, the land I would travel.

"All right girls settle down, today's the day you're finally going to see who your match is, and when school's over arrangements have been made for you to meet them," Mrs. Sun began with a smile as she placed a pile of large Manila envelopes on her desk.

"I hope he's hot."

"What if I get a celebrity?"

"Fat chance, there aren't much single male celebrities our age anyways."

"There's the model and future CEO of CC Trunks Briefs."

"Boy is he dreamy."

"I really doubt someone from this class yet alone this school would end up with him, they're probably going to give him a match with some snobby rich girl from some other school."

"Jessica's a snobby rich girl in this school."

"She did brag about how she was positive she was going to get him."

"If she doesn't get him she'll be the laugh of the school."

"Girls!" Mrs. Sun shouted, wanting order.

I was happy they were quiet, all that gossiping, and fantasies were getting on my nerves, it didn't matter if the person was poor or wealthy, famous or non-famous the marriage was going to be a sham.

She began passing the envelopes by row, I was a little anxious about the results, going to the slight chance that I could be fertile, but after taking two test that determined I was infertile it was really a fat chance that I was fertile.

As I was the last person in the last row I received my envelope last, I could already hear the girls ripping apart the envelope to see the man they would be chained with. I kept my smile on the inside, as I began to open my envelope as well.

There were shrieks and some sighs of disappointment as the girls examined the information about their match.

I took the packet out of the envelope, the first thing on the paper where the results. I skimmed the paper ready to enjoy my freedom till my eyes caught some words I wanted to believe was untrue, but as I read over the paper about five times the words were still the same.

Marron Chestnut, after taking the test two times we classified you as infertile, but after conducting your last test we seemed to have come across a great discovery, you are indeed very fertile. We hadn't seen these numbers of eggs in history and we're pleased to announce that you've passed the fertility test. Thank you for your service. Please help repopulate Japan with your children!

It didn't click in my mind, it wouldn't click in my mind, I couldn't have it click in my mind. What type of humor where they throwing on me? It sure wasn't funny.

I felt all eyes on me, including the teachers', I guess they were awaiting my tears and, in all honesty, I almost gave them what they wanted. But as they were expecting me not to have a match I indeed had one.

I sucked up the pain welling deep in my heart as I flipped through my medical records and finally found the page where my match was located. And as I read through the description and examined the photo closely I knew the world truly hated me. My "match" was Trunks Briefs.


	3. Chapter 3

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 3: Match Detected**

Trunks Briefs, I didn't know much about the guy and I didn't care to. I was just familiar with several of his pictures on billboards and magazine covers, him being a model and all. I know I admitted I didn't want some creepy weirdo, but I think the weirdo was better than some rich model boy.

I wanted a fourth test, I knew it was pointless to ask for one as they would just decline my request, but this was absurd. How did I come from being infertile to being very fertile in just a few days?

I read more on the medical paper, wanting to know an answer and as I kept reading I received one.

It was detailing that puberty hadn't hit me fully like it was supposed to and thanks to the hormone medicine I'd been taking my fertility bloomed.

I really wanted to cry as I read that, I had wanted to stop taking the medication while my parents insisted. Now look at what it's done to me. It killed my goals. Turning them into distant dreams.

I stashed the paper in the envelope and into my bag. No one needed to see these shameful results. Not ever. If the girls in this school found out I got the model my life was over before I know it. Their pestering already annoyed me now, I can barely imagine what would happen if they found out I got him.

I brought my attention to the nosy class. Their eyes quickly turning to the front as I glared at them.

My only choice now was to deny my match before anyone found out and face the consequences of the jailhouse or banishment. I've already thought about drastic measures like this, I'll still have my freedom after facing my time in jail or if I was banished I would have to leave Japan. America didn't sound so bad, I already knew how to speak a little bit of their language fluently.

Today was supposed to be a fantastic day, my freedom was supposed to officially be declared on paper. But now all I saw was my demise.

The entire school was full of chatter. Many of the girls who were of age to receive a match were discussing who they got. But the main talk and laugh of the school was when they found out that Jessica had some geeky boy with glasses as her match and not Trunks.

Hell really would break loose if they found out I have him, especially with her. After school I would head to the Matchmaker's headquarters and explain to them I didn't want to receive a match.

Instead of being distracted by daydreams and the view of the beautiful garden I was distracted by the clock as I waited for school to be finished. If I can make it to the headquarters deny my match and delete the results of my test from my dad's email before he reached home I would be free.

When the bell rung for dismissal I tried my best to be the first out the door and out of school grounds, but something big seemed to be happening in the courtyard as I saw a large crowd of girls trying to besiege somebody.

I cursed my shortness as I couldn't see much of what was going on.

"Oh my gosh he's really here!" someone shrieked.

"It has to be a dream, someone pinch me," another exclaimed.

"Whose here?" I asked the throng of girls.

"The model Trunks Briefs," one answered without even looking my way.

I froze for a moment. Trying to comprehend the words she just uttered.

Trunks Briefs...Trunks Briefs!

I began to backup, my goal had been to leave and deny him and not let the world know I was his match, but here he was making a scene at my school. As I backed up more, more girls came running out the school shoving and pushing, they pushed so hard I found myself at the center of attention.

His bodyguards stood beside him. He was smiling at the crowd of girls asking for autographs and asking why was he here? As our eyes met I could see the frustration in his eyes, the annoyance of all this attention.

His blue eyes were intense as he made eye contact, I turned my attention to the crowd, calculating what area would be the best place to make my escape.

I began to backup and he just moved closer, he had a bit of a playful smile on his face while I had a frown. He didn't seem to believe in personal space.

"Marron?" He questioned.

"No..." I dragged on the lie as I made another step to backup.

He unexpectedly grabbed my hands and locked me in a tight embrace once he pulled my body to his.

"I finally found you," he whispered loud enough so only I could hear.

I looked up at him, wondering what in the world did he mean he finally found me. He sounded like he traveled the seven seas or something. If he was talking in technical terms it shouldn't have been that hard to have found me as he knew what I looked like, what school I went to and my home address thanks to the info on the Matchmaker's results.

I tried to push myself off him, but his grip was too strong for me to break. I felt my face reddening at our closeness and I blamed the medication. I wouldn't be wooed by some fake love. I turned away from his intense stare as he held my head against his chest.

"Order girls, order! Stand in formation!" I flinched at the headmistress's voice, she was the only person in this school that managed to frighten me, her appearance alone frightened people. She had a tough demeanor, and an icy glare that surpassed my mother's.

The girls began to fumble to get in straight horizontal lines, knowing they couldn't disobey her orders. Meanwhile I was fighting his hold as this boy really didn't seem to want to let me go. And when I finally managed to get out of his grasp I had fallen flat on my butt as the headmistress finally made it to the center of attention.

She gave me one quick glance that made it enough for my breath to hitch before she turned her attention to the man of the hour.

"I would say it's a pleasure to have you here Mr. Briefs, but you've caused quite a commotion with my girls here," she stated with her scolding eyes.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he reached his hand out to me, I didn't accept his apology as I didn't know whether it was directed to me or headmistress or us both.

"So what do we owe this great pleasure to?" She asked, a smirk now reaching her lips.

I pushed his hand away and from the distance heard a few gasps of astonishment from my fellow peers. I knew if anyone of them had a chance to get a little touch of his skin they would go crazy, well I didn't care, he was a regular human being just like the rest of us. Only difference is that he had a high social status on his head.

I brushed myself off once I got up by myself.

"I was looking for my match," he plainly stated like it was some stroll in the park.

"Your match? She attends this school?" I could hear the pride in her voice as she quickly overcame her shock of this discovery. It was very rare for a regular school like mines to have a student receive a match that was famous. Famous people mostly got matched with people of their status and though the Matchmaker's claim that they don't do it intentionally I know that part of the system was rigged.

"Yes," he looked at me for a moment before the headmistress.

"Well let's help you find her," she suggested with enthusiasm.

It was now or never, I had to leave.

"I already found her," he replied with a smile.

"Really, who is she?"

For heaven's sake please don't say my name.

I began to walk; the path was a bit clearer to walk through as the formation the girls were in left space in between them. It was a decent escape route. I felt his hand grab my arm, reading my intentions of leaving.

"Marron Chestnut," he engulfed me in another hug as he said this.


	4. Chapter 4

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 4: Can't Taste the Freedom**

I felt all their eyes on me, judging me with more intensity than ever done before. I couldn't read minds, but I knew what was going through every girl's mind at the moment 'The Whore is matched with the famous model Trunks Briefs'

I wanted to shout that I didn't want this. And it sure wasn't supposed to be announced all in the open. I was supposed to reject him, be free from this madness but now I was at the center of it.

I pushed my body off his, I wanted nothing but to get out of here, free myself from the invisible cuffs he slapped on my wrists.

"I'm pretty sure the paparazzi knows I'm here, so let's make our escape before they get here," he offered his hand again and had that stupid grin on his face.

For a moment I was hesitant, I was more than in an awkward position. I would be attacked with their viciousness if I stayed but if I went with him where in the world would I be going?

I hated to admit it, but at the moment I felt my presence would be safer with him so I took him up on his offer as I grabbed hold onto his hand. He smiled at me more (What was his deal with smiling so much?) And squeezed my hand. He told his bodyguards to help him clear a way as he began to move, dragging a bewildered me along with him.

Their eyes didn't stop their vicious staring as I embarrassingly passed through lines of girls. When we finally made it pass the throng of girls I saw a black limo parked out front. I frowned. If he didn't want paparazzi and much attention on him he should've been more discrete than riding in a freaking limo.

The chauffeur seemed to have saw us making our way as he shuffled to the other side of the car to hold the door for us. The body guards began mounting their motorcycles while I wondered how in the world did I miss that.

"Thank you, Henry," Trunks thanked the limo driver and I managed to mumble a low thanks. We got in the car and once the chauffeur was in the driver's seat he began to drive.

"Are we still going to Ms. Chestnut's residence Mr. Briefs?"

"Affirmative."

I watched him closely, trying to figure out his deal, he was acting as though he really knew me, and we'd been friends for some time. But then I realized I was furious with him, he ruined my life in a split second, just by showing up and saying my name. It was going to be impossible now to try to reject him especially discretely. The entire school already knew, and I couldn't put it pass the entire world knowing. He was famous after all, things as big as this happening in his life would be broadcasted like they do for other celebs.

"Stop staring at me," I snapped.

"Sorry you're just so beautiful," he replied softly.

I felt my face flush and I blamed the medication once again. I wasn't going to fall for this fake love.

I inherited my mother's beauty, but after always being called bland looking at school I just accepted it and thought of myself as nothing special nor did I care much about beauty anymore as people made it out as a competition. So, he didn't have to lie to my face by telling me I had a pretty face.

I turned my attention to the tinted window, watching buildings pass by as we traveled to my house.

"You don't talk much do you?"

"You don't stop talking much do you?"

"Just trying to make conversation," he mumbled, sad.

I sighed, "I'm not in the mood to talk at the moment," I mumbled truthfully. But another truth be told I never really had much people to talk to besides my parents and my uncle and his wife and kids. I never exactly made a true friend before in my life, just people who backstabbed me. Which was why I was wary when it comes to making friends and trusting people, I was a loner and I had no problem with that.

"Then can I text you?"

I took my attention away from the window, looking at him with a taken aback expression. This boy was really forward. He was still smiling.

"Do what you please," I mumbled before turning back to the window. Just don't expect me to reply back.

The drive fell silent, and my house seemed to be nowhere near.

"Why'd you make a grand entrance at my school," I asked, the silence irking me, and I knew as I stared out the window he was still staring at me.

"So, she talks," he pretended to be astonished by putting his hand over his mouth before he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes.

"I wanted to see you."

His words sounded sincere, but I couldn't find myself to believe him. He wanted to see me. He made me sound like I was special, and I wasn't.

"The model and future heir of Capsule Corp wanted to see me?"

For a moment I noticed his smile faltered for a quick second, but he caught it before it turned into a frown, probably not wanting me to have noticed but I did. As I previously saw in his eyes the annoyance and frustration of all the attention he was receiving from the fan girls at my school I detected it again, but I decided not to call him out on in it. It wasn't my place and I wasn't trying to make much conversation. I just wanted to go home now and strategize on my next step, see what I could do to ensure my freedom would still be obtainable.

"Sounds about right," he answered, he still kept the smile.

I turned back to the window, this was beyond awkward and I felt if I stayed too long in the limo with him all the emotions I was holding back since the moment I found out and he appeared would spill. I was furious, sad, and frustrated.

"Do you want any refreshments?"

"No thank you," I replied without even looking back. I always fantasized about wanting to be in a limo when I was younger and kick back and relax with the complimentary refreshments and probably use the sunroof, but all those exciting fantasies didn't seem to run loose even when I was in a limo for the first time in my life.

The drive fell silent, I'm guessing he finally had a good read on the atmosphere that I didn't want to make conversation. The chauffeur was nice enough to turn on the radio to rid the awkwardness that seeped through the vehicle.

When the limo stopped I gave them an audible thanks for the ride before exiting and heading up the driveway of my house. I didn't even get a chance to take my key out my bag when the front door of my house opened, revealing my smiling parents. I watched the limo drive off as soon as my parents engulfed me in a hug. Their presence and smile already told me it all, they knew about my results and was most likely let off early for the dinner tonight.

"I'm so happy for you," they exclaimed before pushing me into the house.

"It's a miracle, I knew not to stop believing. When I was able give birth to you that alone was a miracle, but this, its so overwhelming that I'm overcome with happiness," my mother vividly expressed her feelings of my birth and fertility results as small tears escaped her eyes, I never had a chance to witness my mother express much emotion nor did I ever see her cry.

The tears seemed to have been contagious as my eyes leaked with salt water, but as she was crying tears of joy I was crying tears of sorrow. I felt no way of escaping that damned future now, they already knew and soon enough the entire world will know, and I would just be viewed as the idiotic girl who rejected such a good looking and wealthy bachelor.

"We have to get you ready, we're meeting the family at seven," my father told.

They didn't seem to notice my tears were tears of sorrow, assuming that my mind had changed about having a match and that I was overwhelmed with joy like my mother. Well yet again they were wrong, I was mourning the loss of my freedom.


	5. Chapter 5

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 5: Welcome to The Family**

I can't recall the last time I got all dolled up, but it did show me something I failed to recognize in a long time, my beauty. I didn't really tend to get my looks all spruced up when I headed out to school or anywhere in general, just wash my face and brush out my hair before putting it in pigtails.

But my mother who didn't really accept how I was wasting my beauty spruced me up for this dinner, curling my hair to be let loose into golden waves, she had to fight with me when I denied make-up. So, I only had a dab of lip-gloss. Then she brought out some dress I never seen before in my life. We were sent an escort who had their limo parked out front of our house.

Their family sure didn't know what discrete was. We entered the limo and my parents marveled at how special they felt as they watched the scenery outside and drunk some complimentary champagne. I wanted this dinner over with, I didn't want to go, but after seeing my mother cry at how happy she was I decided to go, but my goal was to tell them when I got home that I wasn't going to go through with this pairing.

Their mansion was huge, which was to be expected of such a high-status family. The butler had already been at the front door waiting for us once we began to exit the limousine. Everything was lavish, no hint of normalcy…nothing cheap.

"Welcome, welcome," his mother whose face was also on billboards greeted us.

"Thanks for having us," my father thanked her politeness.

"This is my family," she pointed at a man with black hair, a little girl with blue hair, and him…that smile still going strong. "They're rather shy," she commented as though they weren't able to hear her words and I almost laughed at her statement, I didn't know about the father or the daughter, but her son was nowhere near shy.

She gestured for them to come and they obeyed. "This is my lovely husband Vegeta, he may seem distant and cold but he's a sweetheart."

He held no emotions as he shook each of our hands before leaving the living room. "This is my angelic daughter Bulla."

"Hi," she greeted before smiling brightly at me, "You're going to be my big sister when you marry big brother Trunks right?"

Everyone seemed to smile at her cuteness, but her words took a toll on me.

"Yeah," I tried my best not to sound unsure as her eyes kept beaming at me as she awaited an answer. She gave me a hug before running off into the direction her father went.

"And this is my darling son Trunks."

He walked up to me and I felt a hug coming.

"We've already met," I stated, avoiding the hug he was going to crush me in.

"You've met already?" She questioned, "how?"

From the tone of her voice I could tell it was information that was just supposed to be kept between me and him as she clearly wasn't aware of him going out to meet me. I couldn't take back the truth with a lie and say I meant I met him through the billboards and magazines which would make me sound like a psychotic fan girl and I knew she wouldn't believe me, just by looking at her I knew she was sharp in catching things, but such praise should already be known as she's a genius inventor.

I felt that he was already in trouble and if the situation was probably a bit different I would've jumped in to help him but being reminded that him going to my school without notifying his mother who probably would've stopped him, my life wouldn't have been ruined right about now.

She quickly recovered from her minor shock and told us that we should eat while the food is still hot. She guided us to their fancy dining room, the large table was sheeted with an expensive piece of pearly white material. While the large chandelier dangling a few feet above the table made a beautiful center piece with its luminescent lights. On the table were name cards detailing where everyone was to sit, I knew I would automatically be paired with him so I decided to search for a new place to sit. I watched him walk pass me and pull my chair out for me. I wanted to ignore his nice gesture, but I knew his family and my family were watching and probably believing that this "love" would be the love story of the century I decided to follow along and act.

"Mademoiselle," he said in a French accent and smiled at me once I sat and he pushed my chair in.

"Thank you, monsieur," I replied politely in my best French accent and knew they were gobbling up this "love scene".

I really didn't get how people were cool with having the government choose their spouse I mean I know there were consequences and people were afraid to face them, but I assumed there would be more resistance to this ludicrous law. Especially the parents, I sure wouldn't want my kid marrying some stranger the government believes is right for them their heart would know whose right for them.

Dinner commenced in a matter of minutes, maids came out with dishes and put them at our side, it took me a minute to realize that the meal in front of me was my favorite meal and as I looked at my parents they had their favorites as well. Bulma really did her research on us.

I had hoped for it to be a silent dinner but as this arrangement was for us to get to be acquainted with both families as we would soon be joined together in a few years we needed to talk and get along. So, after a few minutes of settling in and enjoying the meal the talking began.

"You know I found it cute how Marron and Trunks both love curry as their favorite food," Bulma commented as she began to cut at her chicken.

At her words I took the liberty to look at his plate and he indeed was eating curry.

"She makes a delicious curry," my dad added.

I wanted to sink my head to the table, the conversation felt a bit forced and it was awkward, two different families having to meet all of sudden and have dinner, what a great idea the Matchmakers thought of.

"You can make curry?" Trunks asked me, and I could see a glisten in his eye as though this new found information about me was something amazing.

"Yeah, but It's not as delicious as my dad made it sound to be," I sheepishly mumbled as my dad managed to put me on blast, I wasn't that good of a cook I was still learning and wanted to be an expert when I had planned to travel the world, but at the moment it would look like my cooking skills would be used to feed him.

"I would love to try it," he told me, a bright smile on his face.

I really needed to stop taking that medication as I felt the heat arise on my cheeks.

"Excuse me, but where's the bathroom?" I asked, I needed to get a hold of myself.

"Once you leave the dining room head straight and after passing four doors its to your left," Bulma instructed me while I thanked her before getting up.

When I successfully found the bathroom I washed my face, trying to overcome what was coming over me. Why did his smile send me into a blushing frenzy, I mean I concluded with the medication but it was something else about that smile.

I patted my face dry with a hand towel before muttering to myself to get a hold of myself. I re-applied the lip-gloss I carried with the purse I happened to take with me before heading back.

I was passing the kitchen when I began to overhear two voices, I knew better not to eavesdrop but as I heard the mention of my name I felt the right to stay and listen.

"Who gave you permission to go to the school?"

"Myself."

"You really could've risked the paparazzi coming to the school and knowing information that wasn't supposed to be released to the press yet, you can't just go everywhere like you're a normal civilian. Why did you go anyways?"

"I wanted to see her."

"Is that your excuse? You were going to see her at dinner you could've just waited."

"No, I couldn't."

"What's gotten into to you? Your acting like you weren't going to see her at all, she's your future wife you're going to see her every day when your married."

"Couldn't I have at least have the freedom to do what I wanted this time mother."

"Remember the last time you gave yourself the freedom to do what you wanted? Now you're-"

"Drop it, please. I don't want to hear about that anymore."

Their conversation was intense, and I felt that I was intruding now, they didn't sound like a mother and son who got along well all the time.

I headed out before they realized I was eavesdropping and they came out moments later with bowls of ice cream.

"I can't wait to see what the future holds for you lovebirds," his mother began.

"Same here," my mother commented.

"Did you ever start planning how your wedding ceremony will be Marron…oh your children are going to look adorable."

I wish I hadn't taken a scoop of my ice cream at the exact moment and ate it as her mentioning of the things I vowed never to have would actually become a reality. The ice cream went down the wrong hole, I began to cough hard before stretching my hand out to my cup of water.

After drinking and making a scene everyone looked at me if I was okay.

"Are you okay dear?" Bulma asked, concerned.

"Doing great," My raspy voice said before clearing my throat.

I could already see my mother scolding me in her mind.

Before I knew it, dinner was over and I assumed we were free, but the Brief's family seemed to have different plans. As they wanted to still get to know the family better, the adults decided to head to the living room with a bottle of wine while we were told to go upstairs.

I followed them upstairs before we stopped at a specific white door that had Bulla's name painted in pink and decorated with flowers.

"I wanna talk to big sis Marron," she pouted as he opened the door.

"Next time okay, its pass your bedtime now," he reassured her as he walked her to her bed. He walked over to a drawer and tossed her some PJ's to wear. She changed out of her dress and into the red and white polka dotted pajama set. While he took a book out of a bookshelf next to her huge dollhouse. She had the room I always wanted when I was younger. An abundant mass of toys and princess furniture.

It was weird. I was basing my expectations and beliefs on stereotypes branded onto people like him. Snobby, wealthy and a narcissist. Besides his consistent smiling he didn't display any of these attributes to me. Was he different? Well, my answer was still a bit unsure on the matter, but as I watched him devote himself to read a bedtime story to his little sister he was giving my judgements on him second thoughts.

I always wanted a little sibling when I was younger and had begged my parents, I remember how their face looked as they wanted to badly accommodate to my wish, but as I wasn't aware of my mother's situation I couldn't have the luxury of having a younger sibling. I guess that's another reason why I liked being isolated, I didn't have much people to hang with.

I smiled as they lovingly wished each other a good night. I didn't expect him to be like this, so connected and loving to his sister.

"You know I was starting to question if you were human or not," he commented once he made his way out the room, turned off the lights and closed the door.

My smile melted immediately, "And why is that?" I asked.

"You never smiled," he answered with a smile.

"Well you shouldn't be quick to conclusions, I'm a robot cladded in human skin."

He chuckled at my remark before saying he liked my sense of humor.

We began to walk down the hall before stopping in front of another white door.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he said twisting the knob and opening wide for me to see.

He turned on the light, so I could see everything that the dark had overshadowed. It was a pretty huge room, he had a king-sized bed, a desk where he does his studies, a closet which I knew had to be a walk in and a personal bathroom.

I had stayed at the entrance of his door, not that comfortable being in a boy's room, and this entire situation already felt out of place.

He sat on his bed before patting the right side for me to sit. I decided to take his invitation.

We sat in awkward silence for a while.

"You're sure quiet," I commented.

"I'm nervous," he admitted.

I chuckled before looking at him to see that he was really serious he was shaking and wasn't meeting my gaze. Famous model was nervous of what, being in a room with me and getting to know each other? He sure didn't seem shy nor know what personal space was when we first met so why was he acting all shy now.

"I can't get a read on you," I admitted. He seemed to have caused me to be chatty as I tended to mind my business on other people's affairs.

"Like my mother said I'm a shy person."

I laughed again, "you, shy," I continued to laugh, "I don't think you know the definition of that word. Besides you're a model how can you be shy?"

He stayed quiet, the look I had detected twice before in his eyes returned, the annoyance and frustration.

I decided to drop the topic and we went back to that awkward silence, staring at the carpet.

"Can I come to your house tomorrow?"

Seriously I really couldn't put a read on him. A shy person would never be so forward.

"I have to ask my parent's first," I lied. I still wanted to try to find a way to reject this future and I didn't need him coming to my house.

I turned away from him as our eyes happened to meet again, my attention now going to a large whiteboard hanging above his desk. I began to read the words before noticing it was a schedule, his schedule for the entire week.

"You plan out your entire week?" I questioned as I got off the bed to get a closer look and read more, it was a very detailed schedule starting from the time he wakes up, take care of his hygiene, eat breakfast, study and go to a photo shoot. I really wouldn't have expected him to be very organized. I'm not even that organized.

"My mother does," he replied lowly.

"Oh," I mumbled before remembering the little argument he and his mother were having earlier, is that what he meant when he wanted the freedom to do what he wanted to do. Did he really have no freedom? I couldn't really find myself asking that question as this schedule clearly showed he had no true personal life and freedom for himself.

"Did you ever break this schedule," I asked, probing a little more.

He got up from his bed and walked up to me, "only twice, today made it the second time…when I came to see you," he opened up.

I tried not to wonder when was his first time nor did I try to wonder how long had he been living a very detailed scheduled life. He was set with full luxury, but I also knew riches never fully satisfied and him being a celeb he couldn't act like a normal person and do normal things like I can as he was portrayed to be beyond the image of normal.

I sighed, knowing what I was about to say was going to lead to everything I was against. I had to stay with him, well for now then I can try to escape. I wanted to selfishly seek my own freedom, but just getting this little piece of his life I was the free bird and he was the caged one. I'm pretty sure he never really did much normal things in his life and I could feel that he wanted to try it out, and I felt that I would be his only hope in having him seek the freedom he was being shunned from.

"You can come to my house tomorrow," I mumbled.

"Really?! Wait I thought you had to ask your parents?"

"Do you wanna come or not?"

"I'll be there at 3."

There was a soft knock on the door and once Trunks told them to enter it revealed my parents and his as well, it was time to go.

I had initially planned to tell my parents that I wasn't going to go through with this arrangement and I was ready for an argument as well. But throughout the car ride and when I got home and changed out of my dress, washed my face and got ready for bed I couldn't stop thinking of that schedule. I wanted to seek my freedom, the freedom I dreamt of having since I was a child, now I was planning to help him escape the prison he's been trapped in and in order to do that I needed to stay by his side, sacrificing my freedom.


	6. Chapter 6

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 6: Observant**

A/N: Merry Christmas! I've only updated this story but stay tune for a new chapter New Years!

Tuesday, the second worst day of the week after Monday as the weekend was still far away. I didn't want to go to school, not only because it was a Tuesday but yesterday was the day the model Trunks Briefs came to my school and introduced himself as my match. I wasn't prepared to face the hell that awaited me when I entered that building which meant a lot as I usually prepare myself for a lot of things, but today I was unprepared and had to admit a bit scared on what awaited me.

The only odd thing keeping me sane about this day was that Trunks was coming over. It may sound silly but I think I was warming up to his presence, just a little. I couldn't recall having such a chatty conversation with someone besides my family in years and it felt nice to have someone to talk to even if it was awkward.

The curls in my hair hadn't fully dropped, they were just loose which made me irritated when I tried to fight with it and put it in my regular pigtails.

I sighed through the mirror, before putting my hair in one giant curled up high ponytail.

I grabbed my things before heading to the kitchen to get me a cereal bar. I began walking to the school eating my breakfast when my phone vibrated.

 _Good morning my love! Have a great day at school today! Can't wait to see you!_

I looked at the message bewildered, he wrote like a teenage girl yet I myself was a teenage girl and didn't write like that. But I laughed again as I remember he admitted how shy and nervous he was while this text portrayed otherwise.

I didn't text back though, I didn't want to. I did tell him he could knock himself out in texting me but he shouldn't expect a reply, the least he could get is me reading it.

I tucked my phone in my bag as I kept walking, praying this school day wouldn't take an eternity to end. I was already looked upon differently when they assumed I was infertile, but now the situation was different. I was very fertile and happened to be destined to marry a famous wealthy model. Life as I know it was over once I entered the building.

I had wanted to pretend to be sick and skip school today, but I was stuck over thinking about my freedom and Trunks freedom as well that when it was time to pretend to be sick I missed my opportunity.

Ignoring the eyes and whispers once I made it to school was pretty easy and it had me thinking what was I so worried about, all they were going to do was keep talking more crap about me even more and I was used to that, I had thick skin, their words couldn't hurt me. I know my worth.

By the time school was over I felt home free, their viciousness was nothing but words, words accusing me of things like cheating which was really stupid as how can I cheat on a test that checks my fertility. While some called me hackers for hacking the system and I was nowhere near a computer expert. I didn't even own a computer.

I was eagerly waiting for dismissal, that when it was time to go I had already packed my bag and was heading out the room. Pretending not to hear the teacher call my name as at the moment this wasn't the time to stall. I needed to be home before any of these girls tried to pull something funny.

I began heading down the stairs (on an abandon "haunted" stairway the girls were afraid to use) when I felt a couple of hands pressed to my back, before I had a chance to react my body lost its balanced as the hands roughly shoved me down the stairs. I tried to reach for something but all I caught was air as my body rolled several steps down the stone stairs. Sharp pain bloomed through my back while my ankle felt dislocated.

I looked up to see the suspects but they were already out of sight and all that could be heard was the echoing of their laughters. I knew it was too good to be true when I thought I would just be verbally harassed. These girls were so immature that their tiny brains couldn't come to comprehend that I didn't ask for this, I never wanted to be his match I never wanted a match and I wasn't in charge of the system so I couldn't hack it.

I took a long deep breath, attempted to get up but the pain was unbearable. I took another deep breath and made another attempt this time it was successful as I managed to stand. My twisted ankle hissed with pain and tried to argue that I needed rest which I did, but not here, I was still in range of the other girls who wanted to pay me a visit to pent out their jealousy.

I limped my way off school grounds once I managed to pull myself together. The walk was now going to feel more than a mile and a half as my walking pace now reduced to a slow limping pace decreased.

I decided the more effective way to get home without suffering a painful walk was to take a train that would make my trip less painful even if it was going to take a little longer to get home.

I was only a few minutes away from the school grounds when I noticed a black car was tailing me. I tried to walk faster and grunted in pain as my actions of trying not to be kidnapped were in vain.

I diverted my eyes the other way to act as though I didn't see the black car slowly driving at my walking speed.

I heard the window being rolled down, and I felt a chill up my spine.

I turned around ready to yell at the stalker to leave me alone. Till I saw a flash of lavender and cursed under my breath.

"Psst...Chestnut its me," he whispered discretely, pushing down his sunglasses so I could see his eyes.

I rolled my eyes, even from a mile away you could still tell who he was. The sunglasses and hat he was wearing didn't make such a great disguise and it sure wasn't good if he was circling around an all girl's school looking like that.

I kept walking.

"Aren't you going to get in the car?"

In all honesty I desperately wanted to get in the car and off my feet, but I didn't want to just easily accept his offer, I was also really thinking if I wanted to go through all this pain just to help him gain some form of freedom, because being pushed down those stairs was just day one and there were many days to overcome till I graduate in two years.

The car was still tailing me and my pain wasn't getting any better so I finally decided to get into the car. I had no choice at the moment and I sure wouldn't be able to make my way to MatchMaker's headquarters.

He smiled at my actions before removing his shades entirely.

"Is that supposed to be a disguise?" I questioned once I got comfortable.

"Amazing right?" He proclaimed proudly.

I shook my head no, "Everyone can see your hair color through your hat and I'm pretty sure your specific shade of hair is rare. And you look like a creep trying to pick up a girl in an all girls school," I mumbled.

Still that smile was going strong. "Did I scare you?"

I didn't make eye contact. He did manage to give me a fright.

"Aw I did scare you," he laughed. "Don't worry I won't do it again," he continued to chuckle.

He engulfed me in a hug, "I'm here to protect you," he whispered in my ear.

While I responded with a loud hiss of pain and a flinch as he managed to get the direct spot of pain residing in my back.

He stopped his hug almost immediately. "I'm sorry, was I hugging too hard?"

"No," I lied, the pain evident in my voice.

He had ended the hug but stared at me for a couple of seconds before turning his gaze to the window.

I ignored his analyzing eyes, hoping he didn't detect anything was wrong. He was the last person that needed to know I was getting physically abused because of him.

We made it to my house in due time, once I unlocked it we entered and I gave him the invitation to take a seat. This was going to be an awkward hangout. I don't know what he expected when he requested we hang out and today was sure not a great day to hangout anymore as I couldn't have him find out about my injury and I don't know how long I could pretend I wasn't hurt before he noticed.

"If you don't mind can I get a glass of water please," he asked politely.

I had still been remaining in the spot from where I had locked the door behind us. Trying to play smart in minimizing my movements so he wouldn't notice.

I tried my best to walk normally to the kitchen but knew my attempt was horrible. I hope he wasn't paying me any mind as he would most likely be able to tell that I was hurt.

I grabbed a glass cup from the bottom shelf before opening the fridge to get the pitcher of water from the fridge.

I was pouring the water in the cup when a shadow loomed over my body. I tilted my head back to see him staring up at me, a slight frown on his face.

His sudden appearance and noiseless entrance scared the living soul out of me, causing me to drop the glass and scream.

He apologized before quickly moving my body away from the broken shards of glass now on the wooden floor. I had a pain look on my face as he easily held my body as though it weighed nothing but at the same time he was hurting my back.

"Where's your bedroom?"

"Huh?" I questioned his suddenness, while wincing at the pain.

"The room where you sleep, where is it?" He rephrased as though I didn't understand.

I understood his words clearly I was just confused on why he needed to know and when was he going to let me go.

"Are you going to-ow!"

He repositioned my body so now he was holding me angel style, all the while I was moaning lightly at the pain at the sudden movement.

"You're hurt," he concluded as he began to walk out the kitchen and headed for the stairs.

I couldn't question when he noticed and I couldn't even lie to myself that he wouldn't have been able to notice even a fool could see that I was hurt from a mile away.

"Its the room to your right," I complied.

He twisted the knob to my door once we made it upstairs and gently placed me on my bed.

"Where's your first aid kit?" He asked, flipping the switch of my light, his leg shook furiously as though he had jitters.

It's under my desk. I responded. He took no hesitation to bend down and retrieve it. Before pulling my rolling chair and bringing it over to me. He sat down and opened the kit.

"You really don't have to do this Trunks," I responded as I tried to sit up but ended up going back down as my back couldn't support my body in a sitting up position.

"I'm not dumb Chestnut, you're hurt," the smile he always had on his face was replaced with a more serious look, a look from the past two days of seeing him never saw.

I tried not to look guilty. I mean I assumed he would figure out sooner or later that I was hurt but I didn't think he would care to this extent.

"When did you notice?" I asked quietly, half curious.

"When Henry was driving up to you, your walk was different and when I hugged you and asked you to get the water I put the pieces together."

I just sighed in response, he had some good detective skills.

"Who did this to you?" He automatically accused with a serious tone.

"Myself, I wasn't watching my step properly and fell down a flight of stairs," I answered in a hiss as he lifted my knee up before beginning to wrap it in gauze so it can apply pressure on it.

He looked at me some more, but didn't say anything. I knew he didn't believe me, but I really didn't care. As long as he didn't know the truth we were fine.

I watched him neatly wrap the thick bandage around my ankle and couldn't help but notice how delicately and professionally he was doing it. He must have done this a million times when his sister got hurt.

"I'm going to clean up the mess and bring some water and a pack of ice," he explained to me once he got up, he didn't even make eye contact with me. He was so focused on my hurt ankle.

It was starting to bruise, and I noticed the purplish blotch beginning to circle around my ankle before he covered it fully with the gauze.

He left the room, leaving me to my thoughts. He was getting so worked up about this "accident" that he wasn't giving his overly smiling non-shy personality. It was scaring me actually.

He came in some time later. Passing me the packet of painkillers in the first aid kit and water so I can be granted some relief from the pain before leveling the ice on my ankle.

"Are you always this clumsy?"

I tried to ignore his question, but his stare was having my skin crawl. I returned his gaze.

"I'm somewhat of a klutz yeah," I answered.

Silence... Ring, ring.

I watched him fish out his phone with his left hand as his right hand still held the bag of ice to my ankle.

Once he managed to retrieve the phone I saw him look over the caller ID and the frustration returned in his eyes.

"I'll be back in a second, hold the bag."

He helped me sit up straight which was very uncomfortable and painful. I held the bag on my own. I didn't like being babied but at this exact moment I needed him as this pain was too unbearable to go through.

He exited the room, but I knew he didn't go nowhere but my front door and I heard him answer the phone with a hello.

I'm pretty sure he was unaware but my house had thin walls rather than thick walls like his so I was able to hear his entire conversation which wasn't pretty.

I obviously couldn't make out what the other person on the line was saying but I figured it was his mother as he was telling her he missed his modeling session for a certain magazine cover because he's at my house taking care of me because I'm hurt and in pain and that he doesn't care if the magazine people are angry that he didn't notify them of this sudden change.

I smiled a little, he seemed to be really taking initiative himself to gain some freedom without my help. Which meant he probably didn't need me after all if he could do that.

He entered the room moments later and helped me back into a laying position as he held the cold yet soothing melting ice to my ankle.

"What do you do for fun?" I asked not wanting the awkwardness to seep into the room.

His attention drifted from the ice pack to my eyes. His eyebrows furrowed as he was in deep thought.

"I don't know really, I guess when me and my little sister hangout," he answered plainly.

And I couldn't help but believe him, he had perks to being rich when it came to going to fun and fancy places. But if he didn't have anyone to have that fun with or didn't personally enjoy it himself it wasn't something you could classify as fun to do. So hanging with his sister was probably where he can be himself.

"How about you?"

I didn't exactly do much, I don't have friends so that already limited myself from doing fun activities and I don't prefer doing a lot of fun activities with my parents like karaoke (my dad's high pitched screaming scarred me and my mother not participating made it no fun)

"I like to scrapbook," I mumbled sheepishly.

He chuckled at my answer, "Really, out of everything in this world you like to scrapbook for fun?"

I rolled my eyes, "Well yours no better," I shot back.

He gave a playful smile, "I beg to differ, my sister is amazing...at times."

I smiled, "My scrapbooks are amazing."

"Scrapbooks? You mean to tell me that you have more than one?"

I tuned out his soft laughter at the discovery of me having more than one scrapbook.

"That's adorable, you're adorable Chestnut."

I felt my face go red. Why was he having such an effect on me. Today was the first day I stopped taking the medication but the effects could still be in my system.

Silence.

"Can I see them?"

"No!" I answered too quickly. He couldn't see them, they were all filled with my goals, now distant dreams I wanted and if he saw it I don't know how he would react exactly. And it would be embarrassing to have him look over some of my childish dreams.

"Aw, why not?"

"Its embarrassing."

He pouted, but I shook my head no.

He removed the ice pack from my swollen ankle as it was now water, and went to the bathroom to throw it out. When he came back we were in silence but I decided to take this as an opportunity to sleep especially as the medicine was starting to take affect.

I woke up in a hospital bed, shock and frantic to not have been in my room sleeping in my bed I searched the room to see my parents sitting in chairs. As soon as they saw my eyes were open they got up quickly and walked to my side.

"Thank heavens your awake, I was thinking they gave you too much anesthesia," my dad commented before both my parents gave me a hug. I winced and they backed up. The pain in my back wasn't that bad as before.

I notice a cast was on my leg as well which indicated one of my bones had to be dislocated and that I couldn't simply shake it off like I'd hope.

"Trunks had been waiting for a couple of hours for you to wake up, but as he's a busy kid he had to leave at one point. But he and his family bought you a lot of gifts," my mother also commented.

And as she said that I finally took notice of a large bouquet of flowers, two teddy bears, get well balloons and a box of chocolate. I smiled at the kind gesture.

"When will I be released?"

I wasn't a fan of hospitals and I sure didn't want to stay overnight, this wasn't life threatening but I also knew how these doctors and nurses wanted to make sure everything was all good before I was told to go.

"Later on tonight."

At my father's words I looked at the window to see the night sky, the darkness I failed to realize had been creeping up this hospital room. I sighed knowing this was going to take forever.


	7. Chapter 7

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 7: My Match**

 **HAPPY NEW YEARS!**

The doctor told me I was lucky that a specific bone (forgot the name) was dislocated rather than the other or it probably would've taken months to heal or it would've been broken and unfixable. So I guess when I find the culprits who caused this amount of pain I have to thank them for not pushing me so hard that I didn't end up in a wheelchair.

My parents had explained to me that they'd gotten a call from Bulma who said I was hurt and Trunks was taking care of me, they left work early and found me asleep, during that time they bought me to the hospital. Trunks had explained to them that I'd fallen down a flight of stairs and I was happy he stuck with that story, if he told them of his suspicions an entire investigation on who pushed me was going to commence and I didn't need them involved in something I could handle... I believe I can handle.

The school atmosphere hadn't been any better. When I had came back to school two days after the incident with my cast and crutches I could tell everyone from the students and teachers knew how I got injured but I wasn't called upon it and I sure wasn't going to confess.

But now it's been two weeks since that incident and I'm thankful that my crutches were now off. No more trying to itch the irritating spot my cast covered and no more foul smelling leg. My leg was liberated, while my life was still chained to a fake relationship.

"Marron," I had just finished packed my bag, ready to leave when my teacher called my name, the rest of the girls were taking there leave while I walked up to her, hoping she wouldn't lecture me about not paying attention once again.

"The headmistress would like to speak with you in her office."

Now I really was wishing she was joking and wanted to scold me, anybody who was called upon by the headmistress never came out with a good experience. I cautiously headed down the stairs, looking behind me to see if anyone wanted to try and put me in a wheelchair. I will have to cautiously take the stairs like this till I graduate or till I break off the match.

I made it to her office in no time, and had been standing in front of the door afraid to knock, I could already feel the life being suck out of me just by standing from the outside of her door, I would be breathless by the time I go in.

Her assistant, annoyed at my idle standing and probably knowing most girls were hesitant got up from her desk and knocked for me, and within seconds I found myself in her Medieval styled office, sitting uncomfortably on a red leather couch staring at each other.

I gulped and felt my palms starting to sweat. Last time I checked I hadn't done anything horrible to be summoned here and if it was because I don't pay much attention in class I didn't see a reason for me to get punished because of that as I studied for myself and had great scores when it came to exams.

"Do you know why you're here, Ms. Chestnut?"

At the mentioning of my name my body tensed up, "No ma'am," I replied sharply.

She gave me one of her creepy smiles. "I'm just a little concern for you that's all, so you can relax your in no type of trouble."

Though she offered me the notion to relax, my body couldn't help but do so in this atmosphere.

"Two weeks ago your parents sent us a copy of your medical records dealing with your injured leg, and in the incident I read that you fell down a flight of stairs in this very building. Is that true?"

My eyes hadn't left her piercing gaze, I knew she knew what really happened and needed me to admit it so she can find who pushed me and suspend them or even expel them. But I wasn't going to admit it and keep to my story.

"Yes, I fell down some stairs in the west wing building, I was in a rush to go home that I was running down and missed a step and the rest is history," I replied with confidence.

I usually was a stuttering mess when I encounter the headmistress but I needed her to buy my act so I wouldn't be pressured into telling the truth.

"You know I can help you Ms. Chestnut? Girls tend to become very jealous at your age."

"Yes ma'am, you have great authority here," I responded.

It was nice of her to want to help me, honestly it was. But her help wasn't necessarily going to help me in the long run, sure she could've gotten the girls who did this to me suspended or expelled but that would just make the others girls angry and I would be bullied more and be known as the snitch. I didn't need such a reputation.

She finally took her eyes off of me and I felt relieved, no longer having to hold her intense gaze.

"Well I don't want to hold you, enjoy the rest of your day."

I left the room in a hurry. Finally getting a chance to breathe properly. As I made my way out the school I fished my phone out my bag to see several text messages from Trunks. I rolled my eyes as I read multiple messages asking where was I and that school ends at 3 right?

He had been begging me for the past two weeks that I should come visit him at one of his modeling sessions as he was too busy to sneak off and hang out with me and his mom was getting pretty mad at him for doing so and an aggravated me not wanting to deal with his pestering any longer agreed that when my cast was off. So when I took them off yesterday (he was there) he told me tomorrow which is now today the perfect day to come to one of his photo shoots.

He had his chauffeur Henry picked me up from my house and I couldn't help but begin to feel nervous. I could classify myself as an introvert and I knew there were going to be a lot of people at this shoot and I wasn't so good with large crowds. For the exception of school, I was forced to go to that hell.

The building was huge, mostly everything seemed to be made of glass and of course everything in sight was fancy and expensive. With the receptionist directions I made it to a room numbered stage five and as I quietly entered, I wanted to go back home. The room was filled with a lot of liveliness that I didn't know how to approach it. The wise thing was to go look for Trunks or ask someone on his whereabouts, but my feet were glued to the very spot from which I entered, scared to interact with these strangers.

I was spotted no longer than a minute, and in a second I was being swarmed by the very strangers I didn't want to encounter.

"Excuse me but who are you?"

I clutched the strap of my satchel as my breath hitched. It was starting to get harder to breath and there questioning didn't stop. Asking if I was lost, why am I here on a private set, did someone invite you. And with each question I felt them closing in on me.

I backed up to the door, cowering away from their persistence. I was close to opening the door and bolting out of there to get some fresh air when my eyes caught sight of lavender.

Our eyes meet and I never knew I would ever come to think of this but I never felt so glad to see him. He was talking with someone who looked important but completely blew them off and ran to my side shooing the people who wouldn't allow me a chance to breath.

"You made it," he said with a small smile.

"Was this close to leaving," I mumbled breathless, while gesturing with my hand how close I was to leaving.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell them you were coming, so do you want a mini tour, meet some people?"

"Um, I rather stay in the shadows, I'm not much of a gregarious person," I told truthfully.

"I'm shy too, I'll just introduce you to my favorite people they don't bite."

I still didn't perceive him as a shy person as most of the things he did around me wasn't things a shy person would ever do.

He grabbed my hand, before dragging me towards a trio of girls who had to be triplets by the way they all resembled the other.

"Marron these are my clothing designers, hair and makeup artist, and I guess I can say life coach. Autumn, Winter, and Summer."

They were smiling pretty wide and seemed happy to meet me and as I tried to shake their hands they engulfed me in a bear hug.

"It's so nice to officially meet you!"

"Yes your all he talks about."

"And he should've told us you were coming today."

I smiled lightly at their friendliness they seemed like really nice people. They ended the hug, but couldn't stop staring at me, which made me slightly uncomfortable.

"You're so beautiful, I can't wait till I can do your make up."

"I can't wait till I can do your hair."

"I cant wait to design your clothes."

They all eeked with excitement.

"What are you guys talking about?" I questioned, lost.

They all shot a dirty look at Trunks and he gave a nervous laugh.

"Well I know you should expect that having Trunks here as your match you'll be pretty famous as well and that means you'll be broadcasted, you'll be in magazines, talk shows, etc. Something he should've told you."

There was only a slightest moment where I knew I would've been made public and viewed as a celebrity as his match but I had plans to never become his match and not be broadcasted which was why I had forgotten. I wanted a normal life, not one where I would receive no privacy. And in the long run I was going to make sure I wasn't going to become his match, my goal was to grant him some freedom before seeking mines.

"Oh, that sounds really nice," I lied.

They smiled some more before turning their attention to Trunks who managed to ruin his hair a bit and they began to scold him before dragging him to a chair so they could fix it.

I felt a a hand tug at my shirt, I looked down to see a smiling Bulla.

I smiled lightly at her presence. I never fully got a chance to see much of her, she was only allowed to visit me twice when I was injured, and I knew she wasn't pleased with that. She seemed to have taken a great liking to me and me to her.

"You made it," she commented excitingly on my presence.

"Yeah," I responded.

"I thought he was going to make me text you again," she mumbled lowly.

I had brought my attention back to the triplets sprucing Trunks up when she mumbled words I assumed were to herself, but I managed to hear.

"Come again?"

"Nothing!" she answered too quickly.

She looked up at me and I gave her a look indicating she had to spill.

She took a deep breath, and removed her attention away from me and my assumption was to her brother.

"We made a deal. I send you the messages he types up because he's afraid and shy too send them himself."

I erupted in a low fit of giggles. He literally had his little sister send those cringe(y) messages to me. I mean I would've been embarrassed myself to have to be sending those types of messages and waiting for the response. But in my case I never really responded to his messages so he didn't have to fear my response which was just me laughing and smiling for a brief moment.

"Wow, I guess your brother is shy in certain situations," I admitted.

The photo shoot began minutes later. And I had a front row seat to see himself embarrassingly pose for a magazine. I had an opportunity many girls would fantasize to have, drooling over his looks while I couldn't help but find it funny at his posing.

But from a distance I yet again noticed that same frustration and annoyance in his eyes as he smiled for the camera operators as he posed on a chair. I knew modeling took a toll on people and you needed to uphold your image but he clearly didn't want to be here doing this, which was probably a thing he was forced to do because of his mother and he just had to follow along with her orders.

After a million of flashes from the camera and poses I assumed it was over. But it turned out there was more and he needed to change his outfit during this break while the camera operators and editors went over the photos they had now.

I watched him grab an apple from a refreshment table and take a bite before he began to head my way.

"So how did I look? Handsome right?" he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, "silly," I responded before chuckling a bit.

He smiled at my response.

"I'm planning to have my little sister send messages to someone for me, what should I offer her in return?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips.

"Wha-" he cut himself off as he now looked at his little sister.

"Hey look, is that a cupcake?!" she pointed at the refreshment table before scurrying off.

He covered his face with the palm of his hand and I couldn't help but still smile at his reaction.

He removed his palm from his face to reveal very red cheeks.

"I can't believe she told you, we made a deal."

"And that deal was?"

"The deal was she sends the messages for me and I take her to see you which is why she's here today. But that turned out to be a bad idea."

He didn't exactly meet my gaze as he told me this, too embarrassed to look at me with an embarrassing confession.

"It's sweet…to a certain extent," I replied, causing him to look up at me.

"Really? So does that mean you'll finally reply to my messages?"

"No."

He frowned, "Why do you have to be so cold to me Chestnut?"

Before I could answer with a slick remark he was being called back to get ready for the next round of the photo shoot.

"Sorry I have to go now, but there's refreshments at the table over there so enjoy yourself. And don't miss me too much," he said before dashing towards the open fitting room and waving goodbye to me in the process.

I rolled my eyes and tried to hide my smile. He sure is something.


	8. Chapter 8

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 8: My Way**

Freedom wasn't something easy to obtain and when it came to giving Trunks a taste of some it sure wasn't like some stroll in the park. At times he would break his schedule to see me but when I dared him to go somewhere public he would freak out saying his mother would find out and it wasn't going to turn out great on his end. Which was true, I didn't want him rebelling over his mother but I wanted him to feel normal, even if it was just for a day and then I would feel my job is complete and I can move on with my life, seek the freedom I've wanted since I was a little girl.

So that's why we were doing things my way today. I had convinced my uncle to cooperate with me on operation freedom. I promised to watch his kids for a week while he and his wife Sue get time off from being parents if he helped me conduct this mission. He also had to keep it secret from my parents (especially from my mother) as it was top secret. If she had gotten word of our whereabouts she would most likely tell Bulma which wouldn't look good for him.

"When can I classify this as kidnapping Chestnut?" he questioned while I rolled my eyes in response.

He was referring to me stealthily sneaking up to his dressing room (he was fully clothed for those of you wondering) and encouraging him to ditch the interview he was going to have in ten minutes to come with me and be a real teenager for once. I had blindfolded him once we safely got down from the window which was located on the second floor and snuck pass the guards. Their security wasn't as top notch as expected and I had to thank my uncle for teaching me the ways of a stealthy kidnapper.

"You didn't have to resort to kidnapping if you simply wanted to hang out," he said through the silence.

Kidnapping was the only option I saw best as he would've outright refused if I told him where we going and when we get there he will have no choice but to cooperate as he would already have missed the interview.

"Is there a mute button on this boy?" My now annoyed uncle asked as he parked the car, we finally made it to our destination.

"Trust me I already looked," I responded.

The drive wasn't far, it was really just ten minutes away from where we picked him up. I began putting on his disguise which only consisted of a beanie, face mask and black shades. Before helping him out the car, I decided a good ole amusement park was a fun activity and it's been ages since I went so I decided to see why I stopped.

When we got in I realized after seconds of hearing people scream and the rattling of the roller coasters was the reason why I stopped going, I was afraid of heights. I mean the games on the ground were fun, I really dominated them but each time I went I was always pressured by someone to go on a roller coaster and when I did go on it once I realized why humans were destined to stay on the ground.

"I never went to an amusement park, and I never expected it to be so huge and lively," he confessed as we walked deeper into the park.

"I mean I figured you hadn't but it's still hard to believe you never went," I admitted.

He gave a small smile, "well if it makes you feel better Bulla had a amusement park in our backyard last year for her birthday."

I shook my head, it didn't make me feel better, it just showed how wealthy they were and how he doesn't leave the house much.

"So what roller coaster do you want to go on first?"

I stopped in my steps before stopping him in his steps by saying, "I don't do roller coasters."

"So you kidnapped me to an amusement park not to go on rides?"

"Well I'm not stopping you from going," I replied before continuing to walk.

He grabbed my arm, "it won't be fun alone."

I sighed and he let go of my arm, "one roller coaster, but that's _IF_ you beat me in one of these fair games."

He smiled and I held in my devilish smirk as he wouldn't stand a chance against me.

"Deal."

I bite into my cotton candy, enjoying the melting sensation. We decided to take a break and I was starting to feel a bit sorry for Trunks, he kept stealing glances at some roller coasters he obviously wanted to go on and he was unconsciously holding me liable in him not going. They were scary machines and I didn't trust them. But right now he stood no chance in beating me, we basically played every game and I dominated him in it.

My smile melted, "do you really want to go on a roller coaster?"

He looked at me, his eyes beaming with joy, "yes."

I sighed, "alright let's go," I said managing to grow some courage to go through with my fear.

His smile melted as well, "we made a deal and I have to honor it."

I tried to argue with him that he wasn't going to win and there was no other game till he pointed at a booth we hadn't yet gone.

We finished our snacks and I gave my prizes away to a group of children knowing I didn't need this many stuff animals and I had no place for them before making it to a basketball booth. To save you the trouble, I shamefully lost, I mean I'm not good at sports and I'm also not as tall as him because those hoops were pretty high and I only managed to make four shots within the timed minute. While he on the other hand dominated me.

"I can't believe it, I won!" He exclaimed as he placed his face mask down.

I rolled my eyes, "don't rub it in my face like that," I pouted, a little hurt that I actually lost.

He smiled before passing me a pink and white stuffed cat and I just stared at it for some time, not comprehending he was giving it to me.

"For me?" I asked.

He chuckled, "Well of course it's for you, I've been trying so hard to win something for you, but your one tough opponent."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

He just smiled in response before grabbing hold of my hand and dragging me to a nearby roller coaster.

I gulped upon staring at it, he was trying to kill me. I would've expected him to show me mercy by going on a simple roller coaster but this one had twist and turns and seemed to be the highest roller coaster at the park.

"You want to kill me," I muttered.

"A deal is a deal," was all he responded with as we waited for about an hour to get to the actual ride.

And through that time I was reflecting on my life, wondering if I had lived it well as this ride was surely going to kill me. We got on and I was trembling head to toe, I would rather sit in the headmistress office than endure what was yet to come.

"Relax."

I scoffed at his words, they weren't helping, I was utterly afraid of heights and I didn't trust roller coasters. I began to suffocate the plush cat with my intense grip, the park employee had just finished explaining the rules of safety and the metal bar descended to my thighs.

The cart began to move slowly, teasing people like me to think that pure terror didn't await me in the next few seconds. My heart was rapidly beating as we made it all the way to the top and the drop was next.

I began screaming my lungs out, the only one shouting out of fear while everyone else shouted with joy, even a kid was enjoying this madness but I felt no shame of my life being threatened. I had closed my eyes and the ride was going slow again I opened them to see Trunks face inches away from mines.

My face become a tomato and I was close to asking what he was doing till I noticed his arms protectively holding onto my back. He was trying to make the ride less scary for me.

He smiled sheepishly at me, "sorry for dragging you on this, I thought you were exaggerating on your fear of roller coasters," he admitted.

I frowned, "I would never joke about a phobia," I told him with a serious tone.

"Just a side note, it's good to face your fears. So look up, don't think about how high you are or that you may die-"

"Gee that sounds easy enough," I mocked.

"Well just remember I won't let anything bad happen to you."

I decided not to give a slick remark, in the position that were in it was nearly impossible for him to try to prevent something bad from happening to me, but his confidence in his words reassured me. He moved away from me.

And I took another deep breath, we were about to make another drop and followed by it was some twist and turns. All I have to do is imagine not dying and noticing how high I am, sounds "simple enough". He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and as we made the drop following by the twist and turns my world seemed to have gone in slow motion. My heart was still racing but I wasn't experiencing fear but thrill. I felt like I was flying, I felt free.

The ride was over before I knew it, I was a bit woozy but besides that it felt fun. But if I was told to go again I would never. I looked up at him and I could tell he was smiling behind the mask. Did he experience that sensation of flying and being free? I decided not to question knowing that's probably a reason why he likes roller coasters.

We took a seat at a nearby bench and once the dizziness left my system I took my cell out my bag, ringing my uncle to come pick us up as we still had one last destination on the list.


	9. Chapter 9

MatchMakers

Chapter 9: Sleeping Under The Stars

"Are you trying to kill me for taking you on that roller coaster?"

That question was in reference to when I told him remove his blindfold and he found himself in the heart of the woods and I so happened to have a knife in my possession. I hadn't even though about how menacing I looked right about now, I held in my laughter.

"Do I strike you as the killer type?" I questioned, jokingly waving the knife in my hand.

"Is that a trick question?"

I rolled my eyes while hiding my smile, "I'm just prepping dinner before the sun sets."

"Ah, so you kidnapped me, brought me to the middle of the woods to have a romantic dinner?"

"I can hardly classify a meal in the woods a romantic gesture," I argued.

"Yeah-huh, camping and picnics," he pointed out.

"Well this is just a little outing don't exploit it as something bigger than it is," I said, this wasn't supposed to be romantic, not in the slightest.

"Are we staying here for the night?" He questioned as he pointed at the two tents that were already nicely set up by the trees.

"Yeah," I replied cutting the meat for the curry I was going to be making on this small table near the tents.

"Uh… I would love to stay the night but my mom will kill me-"

"If your not home by nine," I interrupted, "yeah well as I recall I kidnapped you and I won't let you go till tomorrow morning. Relax man live your life a little, just text her your safe when she ask of your whereabouts and ignore her calls.

"Are you talking from experience?"

"Nope."

He was hesitant and I know he was very wary about breaking that life schedule of his, but he was a teenager who needed to let loose sometimes.

"Just think about the consequences later and if its really serious I'll vouch for you," I reassured, he was already here and he already skipped his interview so it would be wise if he just finished this rebellious day.

"Alright so what do you want me to do?" He asked, finally loosening up.

I smiled before asking him if he can cut vegetables and he replied that he wasn't totally useless.

The sun had already set and the curry was almost ready, it was cooking in a cauldron under the fire wood we had gathered. I had unpacked my sleeping bag and dragged it over away from the fire so I could look up at the stars.

"Your not going to sleep in the tent?"

"No, I like sleeping under the stars," I responded.

"So why did you setup two tents?" He asked, confused.

I smiled at his question, "for my uncle obviously."

He was taken aback, "He's here?" He whispered the question while frantically looking around to see if he could spot him.

My uncle who had been up the highest branch of a tree the entire time began making his way down in an acrobatic style.

"Of course I am, what kind of an adult am I if I let my teenage niece stay alone in the woods with a boy?" He questioned as he made a loud thump landing on his feet.

"A trusting one," he defended, making my uncle smile lightly.

"Well I don't trust you," he told Trunks seriously as he made direct eye contact with his icy stare. "So, Marron is the food ready or what?" He asked as he turned to me, his tone changing into a nicer one.

We ate in awkward silence, Trunks still in shock that he hadn't noticed my uncle on top of a tree while I silently laughed at his surprise. After dinner I invited Trunks to play cards with me while my uncle who managed to find some source of high signal video chatted with his family in his tent.

We were in the middle of playing Go Fish when he just randomly thanked me and I questioned what for.

He smiled, "All this, I had a lot of fun with you today. I know I can be a wuss and its for good reason, but I'm glad you kidnapped me today."

"Is it technically kidnapping when you agreed to blow off your interview and come with me?" I jokingly questioned.

He laughed and I let out a small smile, "It was my pleasure."

I got comfortable in my sleeping bag to watch the stars after suffering defeat after defeat in Go Fish as Trunks admitted he played this a lot with his little sister and it made no sense as this game was really based on luck and not skill.

Trunks brought out the bag I packed him and laid near me, also watching the stars. The stars were illuminating beautifully in the clear night sky.

We stared in silence, taking in the beauty, then my attention immediately shifted to him as he slipped his hands into mines, he didn't meet my gaze. He was acting shy, like his hand just happened to link with mines. I turned back to look at the stars, ignoring the rapid beating of my heart. I wanted to slip my hands out of his grasp but I also didn't want to hurt his feelings with that action. He was misreading things, it was just a friendly outing nothing romantic. Did he actually like me or was playing along with the law and lying to his heart by trying to like me? The question remained unanswered as I was afraid to ask.


	10. Chapter 10

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 10: MatchMakers**

It had only been a week since our freedom outing and I felt proud of myself. He managed to have a good amount of fun without being bonded to a schedule, but when he got home he was in slight trouble which surprised me as I assumed his mother was ready to chop his head off. She was mad that he skipped the interview which caused a lot of trouble with the tv production but she was mainly worried as he hadn't told her where he was and assumed three things.

He ran away, got kidnapped (which was partially true) or was killed. I couldn't blame her it was natural instinct for mothers to worry for their child but a mother should also know that they cannot coop them in the nest forever.

I was kind of regretting making that deal with my uncle. I was hoping he would make me babysit on a school night rather than the weekend as I really enjoyed being a lazy teenager for two days before going back to school, but as he wanted a whole day to spend with his wife Saturday was a perfect day to cash in the favor. I just finished securing my cousin Lapis in his car seat in between his twin sisters before heading to the drivers seat.

MatchMakers representatives were coming to Trunks house to evaluate Trunks and I relationship which I found rather ridiculous. Our relationship was our business, yet in reality there really wasn't a real relationship, I sure wasn't going to make a move as I was just here to have him experience freedom while I didn't even know how he really felt about this "relationship".

I really wanted to try to postpone that stupid meeting by trying to argue that I was babysitting because of the deal I made with my uncle. But he automatically volunteered himself to help saying it wouldn't be fair because the deal I made with my uncle involved him. Which was why I sadly had to ask my dad to borrow his car and head over to Trunks place and talk to people part of a governmental law I despised.

When I made it to Trunks house my cousin Susie made a big deal even when I specifically told her a billion times on our way over here not to make a scene. I forgot that everyone isn't like me, immune to celebs as I viewed Trunks as a regular human being just with a higher status. So she fangirl(ed).

Stuttering her words trying to ask for a hug and an autograph and a picture at the same time.

"Breathe girl, do you remember how to do that?" I questioned, annoyed that she didn't listen to my warning.

Her face flushed red she took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I was just so excited to meet you, I'm a huge fan! My papa said Marron was matched with some loser, b-but your obviously not he is…no he's not he's a great dad…um…I'm gonna jump off a bridge now," she mumbled her last words, embarrassed as she squeezed her cheeks with her two hands wondering why she was presenting such behavior.

The answer was simple, she was acting like most typical fans who met their idol and didn't heed my warning when I told her to be chill when we got there. I decided not to laugh just like her two siblings were as she managed to shamefully humiliate herself.

I watched his reaction through this entire ordeal he was surprised at her fangirl approach as he didn't expect to be meeting a fan while I told this fan to keep her excitement to a minimum. Then he recovered from it knowing that he had to now address it.

"Uh, why don't we start with an autograph first," he said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He was obviously a bit uncomfortable about the situation but my cousin couldn't notice it.

"Really! Um," she took off her backpack and began frantically looking for a pen and a magazine out of the many packed in her bag. She fished out a pen and a magazine of a shirtless Trunks. I decided not to ponder how in the world did she a mere nine year old got that magazine as I knew my uncle would've shot it down the minute he saw a half naked boy.

She was a sneaky little girl who acted as though she was my age and sometimes I have to remind myself that she's not even a preteen. This generation was becoming too grown for me.

I watched him sign it before I was forced to take a picture. He closed his eyes during the picture as he forced a big smile, I knew he was trying to hide the frustration in his eyes.

After that my cousins made themselves at home immediately, Lapis Jr. instantly became friends with Bulla as he took his bag of toys from me before going to her room to play. Suzanne my bookwork cousin was escorted by one of the maids when she nearly fainted upon hearing they had a library. And Susie was taken to the theater room where she was going to most likely binge watch those modeling shows my uncle forbade her from watching because it was too annoying to him and it made her act older than she actually is.

"Leave the children to do their own things unsupervised, I didn't know that was a part of the babysitting handbook."

He smiled lightly at my words, "Relax Chestnut the worst I can imagine is your cousin Suzanne getting a paper cut or Lapis jr. stepping on a lego. They'll be fine, you gotta trust them and we're going to make some rounds to check on them."

"Alright," I said calming my nerve. I just needed to bring those kids back to their parents the way they gave them to me, in one piece. They were well behaved children don't get me wrong, but it's like when you hang around your sibling for too long you end up fighting for some stupid reason, that was them. They couldn't sit in a room for an hour together without a brawl being ensued. But as they were all separated from each other they should be fine.

"By the way your cousins seems like nice interesting kids and I'm glad your uncle thinks highly of me."

I chuckled as he was referring to Susie saying her dad called him a loser, "At least he mentioned you and for that you should be grateful, he only cares for a handful of people you know."

"Well when I'm officially part of the family that will change right?"

I was so in shock with his words that I almost asked him to repeat the question. I had seemed to have forgotten that he was my match and were expected to get married and join families before having one of our own someday. This escalated too quickly for my taste. I didn't get a chance to answer as the MatchMaker's representatives who made their way in was being introduced by the Briefs butler Larry.

A man and a woman who I believed were married as the Matchmaker's would like to display their "success" of matching with their own employees entered the common room we were standing in.

"It's nice to meet you Ms. Chestnut and to see you again Mr. Briefs, I'm Pat and this is my wife Sarah," the man started as he walked over to me, reaching his hand out for me to shake.

I shook his and Sarah's hand. And we took a seat on the adjacent couches just as Larry was placing down a tray of cookies and cups of tea at the center of the coffee table.

"Alright, let's get down to business," Sarah commenced. "We're going to ask you a series of questions and ask of you to reply honestly," she continued before they both opened their binder with a questionnaire packet.

The questions had begun to start off simple, but in all honesty, we still couldn't seem to answer them. We only knew a few things about each other as we barely scratched the surface. We only knew each other's favorite color, food, ice cream flavor, show, movie, and things to do.

"Have you guys kissed yet?"

My hand had been reaching out for a cookie when it stopped mid-air and I looked at them wondering if they were serious. "What?" I questioned, flabbergasted.

They whispered among themselves, nodding to each other before filling out the answer to that part of the question and I was still stuck on what they said and wondering why was such a question on the paper.

"So that also means you guys haven't began to have sex, correct?"

Trunks who had been sipping his tea spat it out and choked a bit while my stomach churned.

Once again, they whispered and nodded among themselves before closing their binder.

"We'll your relationship is still premature and that's understandable, but we also want to remind you that you have a service for Japan. So, don't be shy to bring your relationship to base one and two," Pat explained as he and his wife stood up.

I watch her take out two sheets of paper from her binder before she handed it to us.

"We're looking forward to seeing you there."

They were beginning to make their leave before they stopped and seemed to realize something.

"Ms. Chestnut, if you don't mind can you step out as we talk to Mr. Briefs privately."

I nodded my head knowing I had no choice. I headed to the kitchen and sat at a barstool, staring at the pamphlet the lady had handed me.

 _Welcome newly made matches, we invite you to this seminar to better your relationship and remind you of your service. Through this seminar you'll be able to know your future spouse better and enjoy a weekend retreat at Grand Hotel._

I stared at the pamphlet some more, hoping it wasn't true but their words never seemed to lie. I didn't want to attend a seminar to better "our" relationship. I was now going in too deep for this operation freedom and if I didn't leave now I would end up trapped in something I had been against since the time I became aware of it. I couldn't stay in this relationship, I needed to tell them.

I unconsciously crumpled the edge of the paper. I jumped off the barstool and hoped they were finished discussing whatever they needed to with Trunks as I needed to tell them I couldn't go through with this pairing, I needed my freedom even if I failed to truly give him a piece of his own freedom.

I was heading out the kitchen to see Trunks close the door behind him. If I didn't do this now I don't know when I would have another perfect opportunity to break this off. He seemed fine to be in a fake relationship, but I couldn't act like I do. He was sweet I have to admit that, he also had a humorous side, but being with him would ruin all my goals.

"Hey can you believe it, we're going to a little retreat."

I was trying to move pass him and open the door, it was now or never.

I managed to get pass him and open the door to see them pulling off.

"What happened? Did you need to talk to them?"

I stared at the empty spot their car was once in, "I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know," he apologized.

"It's fine," I lied.

I was caught up in a mess I was finding difficulty to clean up. If I left this match I don't know how he would feel and in the very beginning I wouldn't have cared how he would've felt as I was trying to reject him before he met me. Now I was stuck, wondering what was the right thing, was them leaving before I had a chance to break it off a sign that I should stay and sacrifice my freedom, I don't know. I just hope I find my answer soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 11: First Base and Second Base**

For those of you wondering how the rest of the babysitting went I'll say smoothly. No fight had broken out, they were feed and brought back in one piece just the way they'd come. I was able to handle it thanks to Trunks help even when I highly preferred laying in my bed shunning myself from the world the entire weekend. But 17 seemed to have this weird parental instinct in which he managed to accurately sniff the misconduct of their behaviors.

Cue flashback:

 _We had made it home only minutes before my uncle and his wife Sue came by to pick up their children. He was wearing a suit and I didn't even hide my laughter as he looked ridiculous but did clean up nicely from his regular outfits._

" _Keep laughing and you'll be watching them tomorrow."_

 _I had gone silent after his threat. I needed tomorrow to myself._

" _Mama!" I watched my four year old cousin run over to his mother while she smiled and scooped him up._

 _He pointed out how Lapis Jr. didn't take his daily scheduled nap which was true. I tried to make him take a nap even going so far to bribe him with new toys and candy but he didn't budge because he was liking his play date (he doesn't really interact with kids his age). While for Suzanne he knew she hadn't listened to his advice in putting a book down for at least an hour as she had more books in her hands then when she came._

 _Lastly came poor Susie, she didn't even stand a minute of her father's stare as he tried to figure out what she'd done. She folded immediately, tossing me her backpack and telling me to run with it so she wouldn't have to take the fall. I just passed him the bag knowing he was going to threaten me to babysit and I didn't know what he was mad at more, The amount of magazines she had in her bag or the one with Trunks half naked and signed. The clear thing was he was furious with his nine year old having magazines._

 _After bribing Suzanne with a new book and Lapis with a new toy they snitched on their sister on how she got those magazines which was pretty sneaky. When their mother went grocery shopping Susie bribes her siblings into distracting their mother as she slipped a magazine at the checkout. Which explained her collection buildup. He threatened to burn it while I offered to keep it, knowing it would make a great birthday present to her when she was sixteen and I wouldn't have to spend a dime. In the end she was grounded for "eternity" (5 months). He also said he was going to kill the bastard (Trunks) for having the audacity to sign the magazine._

Now back to current times, we (me and Trunks) had been waiting in this small auditorium for what felt like an hour after checking in the Grand Hotel, a hotel owned by the MatchMaker's. I never really had a sleepover so my parents were pretty scared for me being on my own.

But my mother really made sure I was prepared when it came to clothes, buying me an entire new closet even when I explained to her it was only two and a half days stay, while my dad tried to have me pack a hospital worth of safety supplies.

My luggage had already been collected to be placed in my room as we waited for the seminar to start. I barely had a clue of what they were going to discuss in this seminar which made we want to go home even more badly.

"Psst."

I rolled my eyes at him, he was literally next to me and we we're literally the only people here so there was no point in trying to be discrete.

I turned my head towards him, "yeah?"

"You wanna ditch this popsicle stand?"

I smiled and held my laugh as he tried to sound cool.

"Yeah," I responded, he was actually speaking my language for once.

We had only managed to push our chair out when a voice told us they were hoping we weren't leaving.

I held myself from cursing under my breath, it really had to be the exact moment we wanted to make an escape in which they would finally arrive.

The representatives who had questioned us at Trunks house a few days ago were the same people who were conducting the seminar and after skipping formality they opened up a PowerPoint, detailing the stages of a relationship.

I was close to falling asleep some time later till I saw the Pat walk up to our table whisper something in Trunks ears and slip something into his hand, he had immediately stashed it in his pocket but I managed to catch a glimpse of what it was and I wanted to go home.

"When you enter the stage where you and your partner begins to have sex-"

I tuned out the entire seminar, not wanting to hear these explicit explanations. They were going too far in my opinion to ensure we would complete "our" service in the mere future.

"We also have a video if you guys will like to-"

"No!" me and Trunks both shouted, I didn't know what that video contained but after trying my best to tune out her discussion about sex as though it was a casual topic I figured this video would be as explicit.

"Well that ends our seminar then."

I sighed, relieved but also disappointed as this was just a huge waste of my time.

I began heading out, ready to just go to my room get these days over with and go back home to my more normal life. I was at the door when I saw Pat talking to Trunks and when they finished he headed out with me.

"What we're you guys talking about?"

He placed his hands in his pocket, "nothing."

I decided not to press, knowing he wasn't going to spill. He was keeping something from me that much was obvious. But it wasn't only now, he somehow knew "our" MatchMakers representatives before the relationship review and they were talking privately about something.

"So, what's your room number?" he questioned, changing the subject as we headed to the elevator.

"1454," I replied proudly, having memorized it.

We entered the elevator.

He fished out his room key and looked at the numbers, "that's my room number as well," he mumbled.

I looked at him with disbelief before snatching the key from his hand and indeed I read the very numbers written on my room key.

"This has to be a joke, gosh these people are unbelievable," I muttered.

We exited the elevator and began heading down the hall.

"Relax, they just wanted us to bunk together, they wouldn't give us just a single bed."

He sounded a bit unsure and as we stood by the door I was hoping I would find a room with twin beds.

I unlocked it and he turned on the light to reveal there was only one queen sized bed.

"Of course there's one bed," I mumbled to myself.

"I'll just crash on the floor," Trunks resolved immediately.

"You're such a gentleman Briefs, thank you."

He smiled lightly, "I don't know if your teasing me but I'll accept the compliment anyways."

We settled in rather quickly. I had taken a relaxing hot shower before changing into my new pink pajama set my mother purchased for me, which was just pink shorts with two white hearts on each side and a pink shirt that had the word LOVE boldly written in white. I protested about this specific outfit but as my mother usually came out victorious in her battles she managed to win that one. I felt relaxed as I sipped the tea I recently made in the small kitchen as I flipped to the next page of my book. Reading before bed was a hobby of mine.

I heard the bathroom door open, and going by assumption that Trunks just finished his shower I offered him the tea I left on the countertop.

He thanked me as he emerged from the steam, drying his hair down with a towel. But what made me speechless was that he was only wearing briefs.

I blocked his half naked figure with my book. I felt the heat reaching my face.

"W-why are you naked?!"

"Huh? I'm not naked I-"

"You were planning to use it all along then!" I harshly accused, putting my book down and giving him a straight stern face.

He gave me a puzzled look, "use what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, I saw what the man had given you and I'm pretty sure I know what he told you."

His face had become beet red, "trust me it isn't like that Chestnut," he defended.

I scoffed, "then where's the condom?"

I had tried to push the image of the man slipping such a thing to Trunks, but as he stood here half naked it seemed like he was going to try something. That's most likely what the man told him to do, seduce me. Well that was never going to happen.

"I threw it out."

I looked at him, my face relaxing a bit as I read the honesty in his face.

"Then why are you half naked?" I mumbled.

"I was trying to tell you this is how I sleep. My body temperature is a bit abnormal so it's pretty stuffy when I wear pajamas to sleep," he confessed.

I sighed, "sorry for thinking um, otherwise," I apologized.

"Its fine."

We made up rather quickly which was a bit weird as it felt like I was just accusing him of seducing me a minute ago. But he brushed passed it knowing it was a misunderstanding. We drank tea and as he asked about the novel I was reading I spoke to him about it and he was surprisingly interested to hear about it. Even admitting he may read the series one of these days.

Our friendly chatter ended when we both yawned. And as I got ready to turn in I watched him try to get comfortable on the little makeshift bed he made on the floor with the extra blankets found in the closet.

"The floors pretty cold, so if you uh...wanna join me you can," I offered, my voice barely above a whisper.

His head shot straight up and his eyes glistened, "really?"

I scratched at my temple, "yeah..."

He began to thank me and took no time at all to join me on the bed.

"Don't try anything funny," I threatened.

"Yes ma'am."

I rolled my eyes, he was older than me.

I stared up at the wall, the sleep that was once in my system gone. I didn't look next to me, even though I was close to him before I never felt so close to him before (if that makes sense), from under the sheets our arm kept brushing pass each other.

"Why're you shaking so much?" I asked.

"The same can be said for you," he responded.

Silence.

"I never slept in the same bed as a girl before," he admitted.

I felt my face redden and I was questioning my feelings. I mean no human had full control of their emotions and right now I didn't seem to have any control of it now. My heart was thumping too hard for no reason, could it not tell what was fake love between real.

Sure we got along pretty well, but that doesn't mean I liked him to that extent. He was a guy chosen by the government for me which meant this wasn't real, my heart was being mislead from what wasn't truly reality.

I turned my body so I was no longer facing up to the ceiling but now to the door.

"Good night."

"Good night."


	12. Chapter 12

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 12: "Busy"**

 **Marron's POV**

After getting over this morning's awkwardness which went along like this, cue flashback:

 _I felt an abundant mass of warmth over my body and I wondered what material was this blanket made out of as I would love to have something as warm as this to snuggle with at home. I opened my eyes and did a light yawn before trying to pull myself out of bed to realize something was restricting me from doing so._

 _The drowsiness that was still lingering in my body evaporated once I realized the warmth I thought I was experiencing from the fluffy blanket was from him. I screamed. His hands had been wrapped neatly around my waist as his body was protectively pressed up to mines._

" _Huh, wha happened?" His sleepy voice asked as he lifted his head up to reveal his messy bed hair and a bit of drool that ran down to his chin._

" _This," I pointed at his hands holding me tightly and he immediately let go once he noticed, blushing with fury as he apologized._

 _I frowned, trying to hide the heat now rising to my cheeks as well, the closeness and him actually looking cute with bed hair wasn't helping my case._

" _I can't sleep without cuddling something, so I usually sleep with a body pillow that I forgot to pack," he confessed nervously._

" _It's fine," I reassured him to stop beating himself up. It felt nice, I have to admit that but my goal was not to make a romantic relationship. I excused myself from the awkward silence that took over the room to take a warm bath._

 _End of flashback._

It was already noon, we had ordered breakfast through room service and since long eaten our eggs and pancakes. We were staying in watching TV and though this was a luxury to me I couldn't help but feel bored out of my mind.

"Wanna leave the hotel for a while?" I asked, looking down at him from the bed as he was sitting on the floor resting his back on the bed.

"Thought you were never going to ask," he responded.

"Really, Mr. Scaredy-cat wanted to do something adventurous?" I questioned through a smirk.

He got up from the floor before going to his bag and fishing out his disguise (the usual beanie, sunglasses, and face mask).

I smiled, "Alright let's go."

After we changed we snuck out the hotel which wasn't that hard either as it seemed like we had an entire section reserved and empty because Trunks was a celebrity guest. We were outside in no time, walking for sometime before I spotted those rental bikes. I immediately dragged him over saying we needed to rent them now.

He hesitated admitting he hadn't rode a bike in years while I provoked him by calling him a chicken. He took the bait. And we were now riding all across town, it was funny watching him struggle, he looked like a total amateur and his height didn't help him in this situation as his tall legs were in the form of a ballerina doing a plié as he pedaled.

"Loosen up!" I shouted through the wind.

"Let's race to the top of that hill!" He suggested and I smiled before accepting his challenge and pedaling faster.

We were both out of breath and tied before journeying down hill, the wind furiously blowing through my hair and the wind trying to blow of his beanie to reveal his hair. It was funny trying to see him control the bike and keep the beanie from flying off.

After making it to another part of town we parked the bikes before wandering off, walking aimlessly for a while and taking in the city's view. It wasn't that crowded but it was still a good amount of people in the area hustling and bustling to get to their destinations.

"Is there anywhere specific that we're going?"

"Anywhere that meets my eye," I replied.

I was growing slightly uncomfortable at the amount of people we were passing by, being out in the open with Trunks wasn't some pleasant stroll in the park. Sure we went to the carnival where there was twice as much people as there is now and I felt pressured there as well but at that time it hadn't sunk in with me that if anyone recognized him we would be toast.

"C-can I hold your hand?"

He interrupted me from my thoughts and I turned to meet his gaze to find him staring in the opposite direction, too embarrassed to meet my gaze. I contemplated for a moment about declining, I didn't want to hold his hand as he could get the wrong idea but just hearing in his voice and how he built up the courage to ask I accepted and took hold of his moist hand. But I didn't dare meet his gaze as I knew he was most likely looking at me shocked that I took the initiative to hold his hand.

Ignoring the moisture in his palms as he was obviously nervous and slightly sweating in his hands I felt a mixture of safety and pressure upon holding his hands. I didn't want to be found out by some fan or reporter as my private life would be over before I knew it and be found holding his hand no less wouldn't make it any better as I still had plans to deny his as a match.

"Does that meet your eye?" He questioned as he pointed over at a bookstore.

I smiled, my eyes twinkling at his discovery. I needed to buy the next issue of this new novel I was reading and I happened to be carrying my allowance. I dragged him across the street but immediately let go of his hand once I entered the automatic doors of the realm of books. I instantly found my hands carrying three books even when I was supposed to originally buying one, the thing about being a bookworm and entering a bookstore you never leave with only one book.

From the corner of my eye I watched trunks come over with a basket while I kept stacking more books onto my hand.

"We've only been here for less than a minute and you already have a million books in your hand."

"I'm a bookworm, books are my high."

He laughed at my comment before his eye seemed to have caught interest in the books in front of him. "Midnight Mansion, isn't that the mystery novels you were telling me about a while back?" He questioned.

I answered with a muffled yes as I now had books stacked up to my face covering my mouth.

"It's great to read but I think your overdoing it," he says before grabbing half of the books from my hand and placing them in the basket he had placed on the ground.

"There is no such thing as overdoing it when it comes to books my good man," I replied.

Trunks picked up the basket before reaching over and getting the Midnight Mansion trilogy set.

"Are you really going to read the series?" I questioned before beginning to walk towards the cashier.

"I want to see why you hype the book up so much."

I smiled at his response, "oh you'll see."

We had finished purchased all the books within ten minutes. The process didn't take that long because of the amount of books I was buying but because Trunks kept insisting that he'll pay for it for me as a treat while I argued that I saved up my allowance for this book spree. The cashier even sided with him saying "you don't see it everyday that a boyfriend wants to buy his girlfriend books, especially this many."

In the end I ignored being categorized as a couple but accepted his offer on buying me books as a person of his status clearly had the money to pay for this without having to wait for next months allowance.

"So, are there any other stops you would like to make?" He questioned as we exited the bookstore.

I thought for a moment knowing that with the books I had now I was satisfied for a while till I remembered the mandatory banquet dinner we had to attend to get to know each other better. Which would eliminate hours I could've been reading or watching television.

"Yeah, the grocery store to buy dinner."

"But were supposed to be attending the mandatory dinner to get-"

"Staying in is better," I cut him off.

He didn't argue and I was glad, the dinner was too much of a romantic getup while staying in for dinner was more of a friendly approach. We bought the groceries rather quickly, reading Trunks body language told me he wasn't comfortable in this scenery.

The bookstore was empty but the streets and this grocery store was rather full. And I wasn't feeling too comfortable out in the open as everyone kept sparing glances at him because of his disguise and if someone stared too hard they could recognize it was him.

We rode back to the hotel with the bikes which was rather difficult with the many bags we had and of course Trunks not letting the wind take his beanie but we made it back in one piece. The check in receptionist gave us a curious glare while we ignored it as we got into the elevator and to our room. We didn't even get a chance to settle in as we noticed a sapphire dress with a split in the middle on the bed and a tuxedo next to it with a matching handkerchief and bow tie.

"I don't think there's a chance of skipping this dinner."

"Tsk tsk Briefs, you really don't know what I'm capable of. Trust me, I'll find a way."

I begun to prepare dinner while Trunks begun to read the mystery novel. Half an hour went by and I was almost finished with dinner.

"I think I know whose the killer," Trunks said flipping the page and raised his legs up to the ceiling as his body was sprawled on the bed.

"Really?...Don't you dare say Rebecca."

"Its not Rebecca?!" He asked bewildered.

I chuckled at his assumption, "Trust me everyone thought it was her."

"But she presents every trait of a-"

"Psychopath," I cut him off, before taking a taste of the broth.

He looked at me mind blown and I smiled. "Keep reading," I encouraged.

There was a knock on the door and we looked at the clock, it was 7:30 the formal dinner was supposed to commence thirty minutes ago, but we choose to ignore the calls the staff made in order to contact us.

"Marron what's your plan?" He whispered to me as he put his book down knowing now we had no choice but to get dress and attend that dinner. I walked over to him and whispered he needs to strip, his ears turned pink at my words.

"Excuse me?" He questioned, taken aback.

"Just trust me," I said before going into his ear and whispering the plan.

 **Trunks POV**

I did as I was told and I stripped to my boxers. The knocking continued. I reached over the bowl of condoms they left at the nightstand before opening the door to be met with Pat.

"Hey-" he couldn't finish his sentence off that was mostly going to go along the lines of 'you guys didn't show up for the dinner and were waiting for you.' But as he couldn't get pass seeing me half naked I had him where I wanted him.

"I'm sorry man we just lost track of time, but we didn't want to ruin our fun by going to some dinner when we can just get to know each other more right here," I flashed the condom packet between my two fingers, "if you know what I mean," I responded as I wiggled my eyebrows.

"Trunks babe when are you coming back?"

I smiled and held in my laugh at her clever whining moan as I hadn't expected for her to chime in.

"You see, the misses can't get enough of me and can get a little impatient."

"Um...yes I get the hint," he awkwardly cleared his throat, "I'll leave you to it, I'm glad you took my advice."

"Best advice I've ever gotten," I told with a sly smirk and a finger gun pointing at him as he excused himself and I closed the door behind me with a heavy sigh of relief.

Marron applauded my performance and I bowed. "Your plan worked," I complimented.

"Well your improvisation was great, you should've became an actor instead of a model," she complimented me.

I chuckled, glad the plan was executed perfectly. I was really nervous and when she told me that I had to improvise and make whoever at the door believe we were "busy" I thought I was going to fail us and have us attend the dinner she really didn't want to attend. I didn't mind if we attended or not as I just wanted to spend some time with her, but the latter choice was better. I liked her "average" cooking as she calls it so that was a bonus to me.

"Well your quite the actress yourself."

 **Marron's POV**

I was surprised he didn't fail with the plan. I couldn't see him boldly saying those things as he was so shy to even ask to hold my hands. But he proved me wrong, he was quite the performer. I had spotted the glass bowl of condoms when we entered the room from our shopping spree and had to admit I was mad that they had the audacity to put that here. But it did automatically form a genius plan in my head so I guess I had to be thankful for it as well.

We ate dinner in silence while watching a movie. He had longed put his clothes back on and after an hour of finishing our dinner we were currently munching on junk food as we switched over to a mystery movie. Today was a good day and all we had to do throughout the rest of our stay was pretend we were being sexually active to avoid the mandatory activities they had planned for us while in reality we just stay in and watch TV and read.

 **A/N: Midnight Mansion is not an actual novel as far as I know of, so if you were curious about it don't waste your time searching it up.**


	13. Chapter 13

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 13: Beauty and Popularity**

 **A/N: Please read and review, I love to hear your thoughts!**

 **Two weeks later.**

"Aw, I wish I could be as pretty as you Marron."

"I'm nothing special, besides we're all pretty here so don't put yourself down like that."

"Do you wear make-up?"

"No."

"Wow, so that's all natural beauty."

"Amazing."

"I heard Billy confessed to you today, are you going to go out with him?"

"I need to focus on my studies, so I can't get involved in a relationship right now."

It was as if each time I was placed in this situation my mind was bombarded with these memories from long ago. It felt like it had been another life time when we were best friends. Back then in middle school she wore large rimmed glasses and had black hair. Many people didn't find her appealing even herself but I saw her beauty when no one else could. She was always questioning our friendship, why was someone so pretty as me hanging out with her, I did not care for my reputation.

I was popular back then but I didn't care about status, I just wanted friends and at that moment I believed I had that. We had shared the same interest, reading novels and discussing it over a cup of coffee and plate of cake, scrapbooking, and we hung out mostly everyday. But she presented her true colors, blinding me with a friendship I believed was real but in reality it was fake.

I was backstabbed to the point where the knife reached my heart. She was jealous of my beauty and popularity that she began to spread false rumors. Such rumors that consisted of me calling all the girls in the school dirty pigs and the boys stupid and ugly. These false rumors caused me to be shunned by every student who attended the school and even led to me being gossiped and bullied upon.

I ignored the pain residing in the side of my stomach where a foot had recently made rough contact against it. I stared up at her, her family had become wealthy at the end of our time in middle school as both her parents received big promotions that allowed her to get a makeover. Her large rimmed glasses were replaced with contacts and her jet black hair now red as a rose.

She seemed to still be holding her jealousy over me, yet I was nothing special and she made that clear to me when we happened to enter the same high school. Turning the entire school against me.

"How did you do it?!"

She would always start off with this question once she threw a fit by using my body as a human punching bag. She grabbed the hem of my shirt, staring directly into my eyes as she held a look of pure anger. Her teeth clenched.

I cracked a small smile, finding her anger and jealousy amusing. It was hard to believe we were once friends. Which was the main reason why I was wary in making new friends and trusting people as I didn't want to be backstabbed once again. That pain took a great amount of time to heal. It was also another reason why I didn't care much about physical appearance, the world made it out as a competition and people did get hurt because of it.

She slapped her hand across my face, a familiar pain I was now getting used to.

"He was supposed to be mines," her voice cracked at the statement and I noticed the tears biting at her eyes. I could tell she was wondering how someone like me whose been reduced to nothing and she as beautiful and popular still had nothing and I had it all. But I never had it all, I still don't. That's what she missed about me I wasn't perfect and I never would want to be perfect.

I looked over at the other two girls standing near her, one stood at the left side and the other at the right side so I didn't have a chance at trying to escape their wrath. They also had their fair share of jealousy over me and would take turns hurting me like it was a game.

But they made sure not to leave much visible bruising and always did it on a Friday so any wounds could be healed over the weekend and no one would notice my pain (the faculty, my family and the headmistress).

"Now I'm a laughing stock."

My smile widened a bit more before I chuckled as she was referring to how she bragged about being matched with Trunks and I ended up being his match. It was funny how the tables have turned. I had become a laughing stock for being infertile and it was all thanks to her.

"Why the hell are you laughing? I didn't give you the right to."

I rolled my eyes, "It's a free country Jessica, last time I checked."

She pushed me to the ground.

"I don't know how you did it you little infertile whore, but I'll expose you for the liar you are."

School had been over thirty minutes ago, but as I was always in charge of packing up the P.E. Equipment Jessica and her goons would volunteer just to beat me up before leaving me to clean up.

She backed away from me, a look of disgust on her face as she began to make her leave.

I took a deep breath, glad it was over for today. I was supposed to be meeting Trunks later and he always worried if I was even a minute late.

I heard people gasp, and I lifted my head up to see Jessica and her goons surrounded by men in black. Trunks emerged from the corner of the P.E. equipment room. He wasn't giving his usual smile and from his eyes I could see he was furious but he kept a calm composure.

He walked up to me, his expression was hard to read.

"Are you able to walk?" He crouched down and helped me sit up.

I couldn't look at him directly but I nodded my head, before replying with a low yes.

"Just sit here for a minute," he commanded.

I obeyed, not seeing a way out for myself. I just wondered how long had he been here and what did he see and hear.

The bodyguards had rounded them in a corner, making it no escape for them.

I watch Trunks signal with his finger and one bodyguard stepped out and handed him a Manila folder.

"Jessica Lynn," he began as he opened the folder, "age 16 and daughter to Danny and Kelly Lynn. Aspires to be a ballerina and is to marry a future computer Technician Andy Tine."

He looked up from the file and looked directly at Jessica, "I don't think the ballet academy would approve of such behavior," he referred to the situation at hand.

"Mindy Washington and Kim Abrams," he said as he flipped the page, now staring at the two girls.

"I'm pretty sure you've taken the hint that I know a significant amount of info about you all," he closed the folder and dug his hand in his pocket to fish out his phone, pressed a couple of buttons before showing them what was on it. "So I wonder how your headmistress will react to this video," he said in a thoughtful tone.

I watched in amazement how they easily submitted to his blackmail by crying and pleading. He pointed at the two girls before commanding them to apologize and go home. And that's what they did, they ran up to me, almost falling miserably to get to me before giving me what I can say the most sincere apology they could offer before running off.

"Now Ms. Lynn step forward," he gestured with his finger.

She obeyed, her body shaking and her mascara running down to her cheeks.

"Do you see that girl on the ground?"

"Huh?" She looked at me briefly before looking back at him.

"The girl on the floor, do you see her?" He asked, more sternly.

"Yes."

"Why is she on the floor?"

"I'm sorry!" she cried out.

"Your apologizing to the wrong person here Ms. Lynn."

He pointed at me, "who is she?"

She gave him a quizzical look, not understanding where he was getting at and I wasn't understanding myself.

"M-Marron."

"No, no, no, that's where your wrong Ms. Lynn. Only people who care for her deeply can call her that. Now I want you to remember something, if you ever lay as much as a hair on her your prosperous life will be finished before it even started you got that? Now apologize!"

He finally let go of his calm expression, a vicious look now took over his features as he watched her fumble to come to me.

She knelt down, we stared at each other, her watery eyes ruining her makeup.

"I'm sorry."

I felt her soul through the apology and honestly I didn't know how to take it. It sounded sincere but it was still forced. Her heart had long decided to never apologize to me yet he managed to make her do it.

"Now go."

In a flash she was gone. And I was alone with him and his bodyguards taking in all that had just happened before me.

I sat there watching the bodyguards clean up the P.E. Equipment while he sat next to me.

We sat in silence for a while, not making eye contact with each other. Till we had to leave the school grounds. He put his disguise back on (a beanie and sunglasses) and we walked to the car.

From the corner of my eye I watched his leg shake furiously as we drove to my house. The anger hadn't completely left his system.

"You didn't have to do that," I mumbled, finally finding my voice.

His leg stopped shaking. He took his eyes from the window while I retreated my attention to my exposed legs (was still wearing my gym clothes) and crushed the palms of my hands together.

"I really expected a thank you Chestnut," he mumbled back in a stern tone.

I could feel him staring down at me but I didn't dare look up, "Well I didn't need your help, I had it under control," I lied, but in reality I thought I was handling the situation pretty well for myself without getting nobody involved but myself.

"You had it under control?" He scoffed at my response, "How many times is getting a scraped knee and a throbbing pain at the side of your stomach every Friday in your P.E class under control?!" His voice got serious again.

I still didn't look at him, he caught me dead in my lie. He was very observant I had to give him that. He noticed the small things even my parents hadn't noticed. And I would just have to lie, telling him things like we were playing softball today and things got pretty intense. He was feeding off it, but it seemed like he was too full to accept more of my lies.

I didn't fancy lying as it was another way of backstabbing, but it was for his own good.

"Yes," I replied quietly.

He gave a deep frustrated sigh, "All that pain you went through, you didn't deserve that, and it's all my fault that you went through that."

Technically he was right, if it wasn't for him showing up and declaring to my school that he was my match none of this harassment would've been happening. The world still didn't know I was his match as his mother didn't want to release such information to the press yet and I had heard that his mother and her employees had to personally send emails to all the people at my school to agree not to disclose any of this vital info and it seemed to have worked as it stayed within the school.

But we lived in a cruel world, things like this was bound to happen either way. Even without people knowing he was my match I was going to still get bullied for being "infertile".

"I don't really care if you hate me for this, but I couldn't sit still knowing you were hurting like this and didn't want to admit to me. It had to be done."

I sighed and finally decided to look up at him, "I don't hate you."


	14. Chapter 14

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 14: Feelings**

Trunks POV

I couldn't stop thinking about her and I can't even say it was since we first meet but when I first saw her picture which drove me to want to see her before the dinner. Through the picture I could already tell she was different, not that I really dated before but as a model I met several obnoxious girls and none were like her. I couldn't get her out of my head and I wanted to spend everyday with her, but my life style prohibited such a thing.

I had only broken my schedule twice, but now it seemed like I was breaking it pretty often to see her. She made me feel somewhat free from a cage I hadn't even known I was locked in and she was the only one with the key.

She made me outgoing, when I was rather a reserved person. Believe me I was pretty/am a shy person no matter what Marron says. She made me nervous but she also made me be bold, take the test messages for example.

Another example was yesterday. I can say it was the spur of the moment but I felt pretty badass putting those goons in line. It had taken me two weeks after her crutches were removed and I noticed she would come back home with some form of pain that I began my investigation. Learning things such as a bit of Marron's past and how she suffered once before like this and with the same person.

So after hearing her middle school story I knew it had to be done. Marron couldn't stop this alone. She has done so much for me to make me feel some form normalcy in my life and it was time I repaid her.

She had shut me out but I broke in. Figuring out the timing I showed up to her school to find what I expected but at the same time was hoping it wasn't true. I knew how vicious girls could get and I knew jealousy was like a wildfire, once it begins to spread it's hard to tame.

But it made me even more frustrated and angry that she didn't tell me and I had to find out for myself, feeding me lies and I was eating them till I couldn't stomach anymore.

But when she told me she didn't hate me, I felt all that frustration and anger blow away. It was her way of saying thank you. And what came after that was something I really didn't come to expect. Tears. All I could do was let her cry on my shoulders and whisper words of encouragement, that's all I saw best to do in a situation like that.

I sighed as I looked through the window of the car, holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers and two pints of her favorite ice cream flavors.

I was greeted by her mother once I made it to her house and she invited me in. Calling Marron from upstairs that she had a visitor. I headed up and knocked on her door.

"Come in."

I entered to see her tidy room, the plush cat I won for her next to her pillow and a book on her lap as read on her bed.

"I uh, bought you some flowers and ice cream," I nervously told.

She gave me a weak smile, "Why does it seem like your helping me get through a breakup?" She teased.

I smiled, "Well if you don't want any ice cream Chestnut I'll just give it to Bulla when I get home."

"Don't be hasty now there Briefs, I'll take the ice cream off your hands," she smirked.

I walked over to her bed and passed her the bag while putting the flowers on her desk.

"Now if you had a movie that would be a game changer."

"I was thinking of bringing one," I admitted, scratching the back of my head while she giggled.

"I have a DVD player and some movies downstairs. Let's go."

We were only an hour within the movie when her mother said they had ran out of rice and as her father still wasn't home yet Marron was volunteered to go get some. I had volunteered myself, but Marron told me it was going to be a quick trip and she didn't want to feel all that pressure of having a celeb by her side at the grocery today.

I disappointingly watched her leave, it was a great headache to me that I couldn't even be free enough to go to the grocery store without being pressured of being found out through a disguise or to just freely go into a local grocery store and not be ambushed by fans.

Time had passed and she still wasn't back, but her father had finally come from work and as he noticed my boredom he invited me to go up to Marron's room and take a look around and I did just that. Wanting to know more about her childhood and hoped to see pictures of her younger self. I didn't know much about her as we never really opened up to each other, just hangout and initiated small talk. But I wanted that to change, I want to dive deeper make whatever you would label our relationship genuine and divine.

I had already looked over a couple of pictures of younger Marron hanging on a pink bulletin with her parents, Jessica and some boy with spiky black hair. Through those pictures I could tell those were part of her happiest memories and I wondered when would I be part of that wall of fame. My snooping was coming to an end as I didn't want to evade her privacy without her permission and go through stuff I had no right to be going through. But as I was heading out I came across something interesting on her desk. A large white book.

I had tried my best to hold the urge to not open it as I figured this was one of the scrapbooks she was referring to and as she didn't want me to see it a while back I didn't have the right to look through it now without her permission. But the longer I stayed and stared my mind was making valid arguments about why I should take a look.

One argument was mainly that she was just embarrassed to have me look at it with her presence so I should take a look while she's gone. And with that reasoning I grabbed the book and sat on her bed, before opening to take a look.


	15. Chapter 15

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 15: Feelings Pt. 2**

Marron's POV

I was half regretting telling Trunks to not tag along with me as these two bags of rice was killing my arms as I began to make my way back home. But I didn't want him tagging along for two reasons. One, it was too dangerous, he was live bait and could reel in a lot of fishes, I didn't need such attention. Secondly my teenage emotions are acting up.

I don't know what was coming over me but I can tell you now I'm not classifying it as love, not even close. I had no intentions to care for that boy as you know I wanted to drop him before he even knew about me (How badly that plan had failed). But now it was seeming that I was beginning to care for him and each time we got close heat will arise to my face and my heart would skip a beat and I couldn't even blame the medication anymore.

I had strong beliefs and wanted to stick with them, but he seemed to persist each time we met up. I wanted to give him a taste of freedom and I didn't really see that plan going successfully either as his status was making it difficult. All I saw it doing was confusing my dumb emotions. I swore to myself I wouldn't be wooed by this fake relationship yet yesterday didn't make it any better.

I knew he was aware of the bullying, but I just believed he would brush it off. He took the problem into his own hands, even going to my parents for help and boldly stood up for me. I guess you can say he was my knight in shining armor but that felt too much of an exaggeration. I had even cried on his shoulders (Yes, unpredictable teenage emotions) which surprised me as I didn't expect such an outcome, but I felt some buried pain being washed away.

The pain I believed left me once I was over with middle school and had took some time to heal, but that pain had crawled back once I entered high school and Jessica decided to make it a living hell for me. I reminded myself of having thick skin and knowing my worth, but those were just lies I feed to myself as well. Even with thick skin you can still be penetrated. I had stored all their insults, but they managed to break free at that exact moment he was taking me home and caused me to erupt with tears.

I sighed, trying to rid that embarrassing memory. Why did he see me as someone special? I was very far from it. If he knew my beliefs and goals would he still view me as someone special? From his attitude he seem real forward with this arrangement. So, did he want to be trapped in a sham marriage?

The questions remained unanswered and I decided to let it go. I was home now and I couldn't let these thoughts eat at me.

"Thank you sweetheart," my mother thanked me as I slammed the sacks of rice on the counter top, heaving.

I needed a car for myself because I can't do a trip like that again. My father passed me a glass of water and I gladly accepted it.

"I sent Trunks up to your room, ask him if he wants to stay for dinner?"

I spat the water out, receiving a scolding look from my mother.

"What?!"

"Ask Trunks if he wants to stay for dinner?" my dad questioned, confused.

"No not that, you sent him up to my room alone?"

My father began to scratch his temple, "Well I didn't see it much as a problem," he admitted.

I placed the cup down and ran up the stairs, hoping he wasn't snooping around my room and found something he shouldn't.

As I opened my room door, time seemed to be frozen and I was too late.

The atmosphere was grim. We both didn't know how to react at first. He lifted his head up from the book and looked directly into my eyes and it felt as though he was looking straight into my soul. His eyes were lifeless and his face emotionless.

"How much did you see?" I finally managed to ask through the silence. That book was like a diary it contained information on not wanting to be married or have children but travel the world.

"Just enough," he responded, closing the book.

I stared into the distance, embracing the silence that was going to be short lived. My emotions were raging once again and I knew what came next wasn't going to be pretty. I felt the very emotions I had felt that day when I got my results and he showed up to my school foiling my plans. Frustration and anger.

If he hadn't shown up I wouldn't be suffering like I am now, through these confusing emotions and the physical abuse from my peers (that now ended). My life wouldn't be as conflicted as it is now. I slammed my door shut, outraged at the invasion of my privacy and at him in general. Why did the world see him fit as my match?

"What am I to you, Marron?" He stopped looking at the closed book and looked at me.

I took my attention from the wall behind his body and made contact with him as well. But I stayed silent, I didn't have the answer to his question. It was a question I was asking myself actually. I never wanted to classify him as a love interest, so was he a friend?

I couldn't help but notice he said my first name instead of my last and it reminded me of what he said yesterday "only people who care for her deeply can call her that" did he really care for me deeply? I mean there were times when he called me by first name only twice if I can recall but that was just being friendly and I can say the same as well for me I don't think I called him aloud by his first name more than once. (If I'm wrong sue me).

"I don't know," I finally admitted, truthfully.

He took his eyes off me, probably trying to see if my eyes were telling the truth.

"I see."

I clenched my teeth as the silence once again caved in. What did he see exactly. Did he see all the trouble he caused me. The need for ones privacy.

"Enlighten me, because it seems like you don't know the definition of privacy," I barked, walking up to him and snatched the book from the bed and holding it up to my chest.

"You were leading me on," he replied and I almost snorted at his response. I was in no way leading him on, I never wanted whatever this is to happen to begin with yet he claims I was leading him on. I just wanted to set him free but he wanted to remain trap.

"Do you really want to live in a fantasy and have a fake relationship, with a sham marriage and forced kids?!"

He got up from my bed, we were now standing side to side and from the corner of my eye I could see him stalking towards the door, holding the door knob before twisting it open.

"I thought everything we had was real, but I guess I was the only one who believed that." With that he made his epic leave, leaving me alone in my room to fend off my thoughts.


	16. Chapter 16

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 16: The Truths Be Told**

 **A/N: Happy Valentine's Day to the couples and if your single like me enjoy these fictional characters find love. P.S. Show some love by leaving a review, I'll really appreciate it! And Thank you to all my followers and favorites. I appreciate the love!**

Marron's POV

It had been almost a month since that little argument where he managed to leave me feeling pretty shitty. I mean they were my beliefs and I felt strongly about them, but he managed to make me feel what Jessica had made me feel when I believed our friendship was real.

I should've felt glad that whatever we had going on was over, but I felt the complete opposite. Instead of relishing my new found freedom I felt guilty. We weren't a perfect match all that was clear to me, he wanted the things I had forbidden for myself while I wanted mere freedom. Yet why did I feel a great pain in my heart, like a piece of it had been torn in half.

"Your lovesick kiddo," my father said as he passed me a cup of hot chocolate.

I was currently in the dining room sitting at the table with my PJ's looking a hot mess as I stared at my phone's home screen.

"What?" I responded quickly, taking my eyes off the phone to give my dad a look indicating he was silly for saying such a thing.

"I was never in love to be sick by it," I replied, staring at the mug of steaming chocolate.

He gave me a small smile, "Well your actions tell otherwise," he told, taking a small sip of his hot beverage.

"Specify," I told before taking a sip from my mug.

"Well you aren't getting enough sleep nor are you eating much, your more quiet than usual and that's saying something and you keep staring at the phone as if your waiting for a message."

I didn't applaud him as he got everything right but I wasn't love sick, we never had such a strong connection to consider it love. I hadn't been sleeping right nor balancing my meals right as I felt the guilt strongly being built inside me. Was I really leading him on?

My parents hadn't pressed me on the matter much, as they only witnessed Trunks sudden departure after our fight and both his and my parents just said it was a mini phase that was testing our "love" (they didn't know the full story, just that we fought for about something). But we both knew better, he knew how I felt about our relationship and he was heartbroken. I didn't even consider him a friend. And in my defense I didn't trust much people to consider them a friend so he was still going through the trials of being a true or fake friend.

I groaned as I stared at the phone some more, I had been battling with myself for the pass month to text him, to see if he was doing alright but I couldn't find the courage to. But today I just couldn't bear the guilt anymore and decided to text him a simple hey. That was two hours ago, the good thing was that I knew that he read it, but the sad thing was that he didn't reply. I couldn't get mad over that as I never replied to his messages so it was time to receive my fair share of being left on read.

"Are you just going to spend another Saturday sitting here moping you lovesick puppy?" My mother said, making her entrance before reaching out for a mug my father already had ready in his hand.

"I'm not lovesick," I whined.

She raised her eyebrow at me as she lifted the mug to her parted lips.

I sighed, I wasn't lovesick, if anything I was just guilt sick.

"Why don't you pay him a visit?"

I looked at my father, giving him a look exclaiming if he was just pure insane. "Are you out of your mind?" I questioned his sanity.

He looked up at my mother and she was giving that famous look that indicated I wouldn't like what was going to happen next.

"Your not going to spend another day here moping Marron, your going to clean yourself up and visit Trunks," my mother commanded.

"Are you kicking your only miracle daughter out the house?" I tried to sound innocent, that was the very last thing I wanted to do.

"Nice try, but I'm not your father."

"Hey!"

She gave him a small smile before rubbing his salt and pepper colored hair, telling him she was just teasing him.

"Now go."

I had found myself following through her order, taking a shower and getting ready. I had even took thirty whole minutes fighting to find an outfit and how I should style my hair till I realized I was going to Trunks house and why was I acting like I was going somewhere special.

My parents instantly dropped me off at his house after I picked up some flowers and pints of ice cream. I was nervously standing at his front door, awaiting an answer and I was praying by some miracle that no one was home. But that was short lived as well as Larry their butler opened the door for me and when I asked if Trunks was home he told me yes. He was the only one who happened to be in right now… lucky me.

I awkwardly stood in the middle of the living room as Larry phoned Trunks of my presence. Then the next minute I saw myself climbing the stairs to his room and knocking on his door.

"Come in."

I was hesitant, my hand hovered over his door knob and I cursed my mom for kicking me out the house to do this. I twisted the knob once I managed to muster all the courage I could grasp.

I entered before closing the door behind me to see him reading. He looked up at me and all my courage went down the drain. He looked a bit of a mess, but I couldn't be one to judge. Just an hour ago I was looking just like him, hair a mess, still in my PJ's and sleep deprived. I guess we both felt guilt sick.

"I-Its mainly traditional for the man to bring the flowers but I decided to switch things up," I stuttered the cheesy line.

He didn't even crack a smile, causing me to sigh and bow my head, whispering we need to talk.

He looked down at the book for a moment before closing it and pointed at his computer desk chair for me to take a seat. I decided not to point out with enthusiasm that he was on the third novel of the Midnight Mansion series as right now wasn't the time to go all bookworm crazy.

My main intention for when I got here was not to do one thing, apologize as I felt I shouldn't owe an apology for my beliefs. In the beginning I felt every right to be angry at him, life wasn't a fairytale, love couldn't be chosen by a third party. Love is chosen by the individuals. But guess what the first thing that came out of my mouth when I took a seat and placed everything down...sorry.

He didn't show much expression. "You don't have to apologize," he mumbled, "I should be sorry for what I said to you, it was out of line."

"No, it wasn't," I admitted, now realizing I was leading him on to a certain extent. I should've been clear that I didn't want that type of life and I was just there because I felt some form of pity for his life. "My actions were out of line. I thought you wanted some freedom from your strict scheduled life so I tried to have you experience it without even asking for your consent. And I mistakingly led you on."

"I'm not entirely mad about that, the gesture was kind. It's just that when I found out you didn't want to get married or have kids and that you viewed our relationship as a sham it hit a nerve, no it crushed a piece of my heart."

"Trunks-"

"I'm not finished yet Marron, I haven't been entirely honest with you as well," he paused for dramatic effect, his eyes not meeting mines. "I was in an accident a year ago, my mom brings it back up to remind me I can't be normal and go out anywhere I please. I was an idiot who for once wanted to break that wretched schedule. So, I decided to go to this new cafe I had saw my limo drive pass one time. Long story short I didn't even make it inside the cafe as my disguise had been blown and I was being ambushed by a throng of fans. I was running away from them while fumbling to call someone with my phone to get me out of the mess, I took a nasty hit on a fire hydrant and a nasty fall," he took a breath.

"I was hospitalized for a week, found out my scrotum took severe damage and that I was now sterile. I was told my best bet in having children in the future was freezing my sperm and finding a match who was very fertile."

I took my attention away from him, sinking all his words in. From the tragedy of his story I could hear in his tone how depressed he sounded when he was told he couldn't have children but how hopeful he sounded when they told him he still had a chance. But another thing I got besides seeing the reason why he wad afraid of gaining freedom was that he rigged the system as all rich and famous people do.

If he hadn't become sterile or if I hadn't become very fertile we wouldn't have been matched. Because all rich and famous people usually end up with their own kind. Teenagers are supposed to be matched with someone at age 16 once they pass the fertility test, but he's currently 17 which meant throughout that year after his accident the MatchMakers were trying to find a very fertile girl not mattering what status she held and I was the perfect candidate in giving his dream.

"I'm sorry to hear that I really am, but I-I can't give you your dream. I want to be independent and travel the world, just a few months ago I was infertile and I was okay with that. A-and you were just going to use me to be a child bearer," I ended up accusing.

He had a hurt look on his face, "trust me it's not like that Marron-"

"Then what is it like? Why do you want to be trapped even more with the government's stupid law?!" My emotions were on edge again, I didn't want to be chained and I wondered why he wanted to double the weigh on his chain.

"I don't. I dreamt of being free for a long time, but as I grew older reality sank in. It's nearly impossible for me, but you have that possibility. I want kids. I want to give them something I never had...a normal life. But thinking about that now seems really silly..." he laughed off his dream, causing me to frown. The dream may not really be a possible reality but he shouldn't brush it off like it was something not important to him, dreams are what I lived for, to make them goals, to make them a reality.

"Your fertility is what made you my match but it was fate that brought us together. I like you a lot Marron, hell I think I may be falling in love. My mother wanted to make sure I was able to have strong chances of having kids and me as well, I never knew they would rig the system and give me someone with a very high fertility rate. But I'm glad you were chosen because when I'm with you I feel this sense of freedom wash over me, that I can just be myself and enjoy myself with no restriction."

I couldn't react to his confession besides with silence and an expression of shock. I wasn't prepared to hear such heartfelt words, I just assumed we were going to resolve our conflict and take our separate ways. But here he was professing his love for me. Did he forget that we had opposite dreams for our future? Being a couple would never work out.

"I-" I cut myself short as I was at a lost of words at the moment. I had come because I felt a guilty pain in my heart and when I apologized the pain only lessened a bit, but when he confessed the pain was completely lifted. Normally I would've found myself rejecting such an advance (I had to do that a lot in middle school), but this was different.

I felt some mutual feelings for him as well and I have to admit a smile almost spilled on my face as he said these kinds words about me. I had believed I failed in providing him with the freedom he needed, but he said my presence freed him. Yet being his match would ruin everything I planned for.

I cursed my human emotions, the butterflies in my stomach wouldn't stop fluttering, my heart wouldn't stop it's intense racing, I knew the heat on my cheeks were as visible as his and my breath hitched as he moved towards me. I read and watched a great amount of sappy romances to see what was going to happen next and I shied away. This was too much for me to handle. Why was he making me feel this way. I ended up embarrassingly falling off the rolling chair to avoid the kiss, he was still a few inches away but I couldn't have him opening another can of worms if I had let his lips touch mines.

He helped me up, another mistake. Our skin touched and eyes met and it was obvious we wouldn't forget his attempt of trying to kiss me a few seconds ago.

With a red face I mumbled, "I have to go," before leaving the room in a hurry. Leaving us both to fight our teenage emotions and figure out our feelings.


	17. Chapter 17

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 17: Mixed Emotions**

 **A/N: This is the chapter I made because you gave me a great idea xconversegirl99x**

Trunks POV

I couldn't stop staring at the flowers and ice cream she bought me, knowing full well I knew how I was going to spend the rest of my day today. Eating ice cream at the corner of my bed sulking till I fell asleep. I felt so stupid for confessing and trying to kiss her, we obviously had different future goals that would clash but at the moment I saw pass that. I was living in the now and not ten years from now and I wanted us to be together, she made me happy. In the end it didn't work out well like I hoped, my forwardness chased her away and my conscience kept reminding me that I was an idiot for doing that and now I scared her off.

I sighed before getting up and reaching over for a pint of ice cream on my desk, they were my favorite flavors: Mint chocolate and Rocky Road, she remembered. A knock sounded on my door and my body had froze for a second before realizing she wouldn't come back after scurrying out of here. Before I had a chance to say anything my father entered the room, my little sister behind him licking her vanilla ice cream cone. They had gone out for ice cream.

"I saw your girlfriend scurry out the house," he said through the silence.

I took a seat on my desk chair, "she's not my girlfriend," I responded before fishing out a spoon in my mini fridge located underneath my desk (I had ordered it a month ago as after finding out Marron believed our relationship was fake I needed a place to store my food and beverages as I locked myself in the room not wanting to associate with other humans). It had been a dark month for me.

"Well whatever you or that stupid law declares your relationship status you need to get up and take care of yourself. I didn't raise you to be a sorry loser."

"I just want to be left alone," I begged.

"You had a month of solidarity and now I've had enough of you acting pathetic, meet me in the gym in ten minutes," he replied in his serious tone.

"Not today dad," I replied, opening the lid of the Rocky Road ice cream.

"Put. The. Ice cream. Down," his teeth were gritted as he commanded me to man up and knowing I had to meet him in the gym within ten minutes I told him alright before he and Bulla left me alone.

I stored my ice cream in the fridge before changing into activewear and groggily headed over to the gym to see my father had already began his light stretching. I joined in.

"You know I tolerate you being a model and god only knows why, but I can't stand you being a pathetic bum crying in your room for another minute," he admitted to me as he stretched his arms to touch his toes.

"I was never crying," I replied honestly. I was deeply hurt but I wouldn't cry about it. There were a few things I learned from my father and that was a man shouldn't cry unless the situation is really dire to show that you are human and let the tears flow.

"Sure you weren't."

I rolled my eyes, letting him have it.

"Alright boy I'm pretty sure you've grown weak so we're going to start with the punching bag."

I didn't argue, I didn't feel like doing an intense workout with the other heavy equipment in the gym. I really wanted to stay in my room but knowing my father he wouldn't allow it. I fetched my boxing gloves stretched my arms out after he helped me put them on and began to punch the red bag my father was holding.

He chuckled at my punches before admitting I had grown weak and for some girl.

"She wasn't just some girl," I defended in a serious tone. She had become the ray of sunshine in my life, she made me feel normal even when I was far from it. I punched harder.

"Really?" He questioned with a devious smirk.

"Yes really, she was the best thing that entered my life and I'm pretty sure I lost her," I replied, as my punches grew in momentum.

"You don't assume you've lost her till you really know you did and you don't just accept defeat so easily, we Briefs don't allow it."

I stopped punching and looked my father in the eye shocked to hear such advice coming from him as he usually wasn't a talkative person and usually stayed cooped up in this gym for hours.

"And son," he continued, "something's are just worth fighting for, so if that girl means that much to you fight for her. Because if you manage to have her slip away while sitting here doing nothing you could lose a once and a lifetime opportunity in your life of what could've been."

I was speechless for a moment, sinking in all his words and it got me pumped up, she had become my other half and I wasn't enjoying that she was gone. Setting our differences aside I wanted to be with her. I don't know how we would make it work but I wanted to try as fate brought us together.

The main thing that got me all angry and depressed is that she not only led me on and didn't tell me the truth but what was in her scrapbook all together. She had pictures of places and things she wanted to do and if she were to accept me as her match she wouldn't exactly have the freedom to do most of those things without having her privacy being invaded. And I didn't want to ruin that goal of hers.

I thanked my father and he just replied with a yeah. I smiled lightly, I guess this was his plan all along and it worked. He removed my gloves and I headed up my room to freshen up as I knew I looked like a walking dead corpse. I hadn't taken care of my hair in weeks but I did luckily decide to take a shower this morning even when I was unaware of Marron coming to visit.

I had something to live for again, the dark times are over. Why? Because I had hope. I was going to fight for her and show her there could be an **US**.


	18. Chapter 18

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 18: Fate**

 **A/N: I thank xconversegirl99x, SimpleG and the guest for your wonderful reviews. I'm glad your enjoying the story and hope that you continue to read, enjoy and review. P.S. To the guest who left the very sweet review, you make a good point.**

 **Returned to Marron's POV**

"So our love sick puppy went to confess her feelings and came back even more ill with love,"

"I wasn't love sick!"

"But you admit your love sick now?"

I growled at my mother's teasing, placing my fork down, my appetite gone.

It was her fault I was stuck questioning these things. And I was getting a headache from it, was it really fate that brought us together?

"I'm going to take a shower," I excused myself before heading up.

I had come home flushed, I stupidly admitted to them that he confessed to me and I was just sitting there like a speechless idiot and dodged his kiss. They did give me some decent advice before my mom couldn't help but continue to tease me. They told me to follow my heart, that if I felt some weird force pulling me towards him and if I kept thinking about him (like I am now) and my heart was overjoyed by his presence then it's a sign of love.

And if it wasn't love they would fully support me in my decision of breaking off the match as my happiness is what they wanted the most for me and I was glad to hear that they were finally on my side.

I headed down after my shower for some hot chocolate as it always helped soothe my mind. My dad pointed at my filled mug before continuing to wash dishes and I decided to head up stairs so my mother wouldn't tease me anymore to find her staring out the window. Curious I crept up to her to see what piqued her interest.

"What are you gawking at?" I asked before making it to the window.

"He's just been here for some time and I just find it amusing that he doesn't have the courage to ring the bell."

I rolled my eyes at my mother's comment, when I was in middle school there were a couple of courageous boys who came to my house wanting to confess but always got too nervous when it came to ringing the doorbell on the gate and my mother would just watch them squirm to see if they were bold enough to ring it, they never were.

I looked out the window and was glad I didn't take a sip of my hot chocolate yet, I just assumed she was watching a boy trying to confess to one of our neighbors but it was him. He was wearing his disguise again and in this time of night he looked like a burglar contemplating if he should go into our house and rob it.

"He looks really suspicious mom, one of the neighbors might have called the police already," I scolded her immaturity.

She just smiled at my comment, "relax sweetie, it's dinner time no one's looking out at the window," she reassured me.

"You are," I mumbled lowly before looking out the window to see him pace back and forth my gate and I had to admit it was a bit funny to watch as he made the gate look like some boss he couldn't defeat to move on to the next level.

I didn't want to go outside, I hadn't completely sorted out my feelings and I sure didn't expect him to have sorted them all out in a few hours but here he was. Knowing I had to go out before one of the neighbors called police I took a deep breath, passed my mother my mug and headed to the door.

"You could've just entered through the gate," I said once I left the warmness of my home and got engulfed with a cold breeze from the outside world.

His shoulders jumped at my voice, his pacing stopped and his face reddening.

He was clearly embarrassed to have been caught stalking up and down the gate of my house.

I walked down the steps and opened the gate he was so afraid to go through before tying my robe to cover my childish pajamas.

"I-I," he sighed through his face mask before pulling it down so his lips were now exposed to the cold.

"I'm not entirely thinking straight...I mean all that's on my mind right now is you. And I know it seems really impossible for us to be together and I apologize for trying to kiss you, but I just don't want to live a life without you. I've fallen for you and I can't just have you walk out of my life without a fight so-"

"Kiss me."

"C-Come again?" He had just managed to catch his breath the second I interrupted him to lose it once again with my command.

"I'm not going to repeat myself," I replied with the same tone my mother would give when she made herself clear.

He stared into my eyes, searching for an answer for the question on his mind, was I serious? And in this very moment I was. It was something about him that was pulling at me like a magnet, I never knew I could really find someone who I can trust again, he was genuine and sweet and he proved to me that he wouldn't toy with my heart as I once believed this entire match process would. I guess it really was fate. He had come all the way here because he couldn't push me out of his mind and yet I couldn't push him out of my mind either.

He was hesitant for a moment before he seemed to have an immense amount of courage as he cupped my cheeks into his hands and dipped his face towards mines. I had to admit it was a weird feeling, like really weird. And I'm not saying he's a bad kisser as I never kissed a boy before and I'm pretty sure he never kissed a girl before but it had me wondering why did people think pecking each other on the lips was a great way of showing ones affection.

The movies and the novels made it sound magical and I wasn't a person who believed in fairy tales, but I did feel some sort of sparks besides the weirdness. We ended the kiss knowing full well we didn't know what we were doing and opened our eyes we hadn't even known had been closed.

And stared into each other's eyes, smiling for a moment before turning around to a light that was creating a silhouette of our bodies, once the bright light was turned off it revealed a car and a person holding a suitcase standing on the street.

As I ignored the fact that I wasn't able to notice the car engine, the car parking, and a person leaving the car I stared at the figure smiling up at me.

"Go...ten?" I questioned as I unwrapped my arms from Trunks waist.

"Surprise!"


	19. Chapter 19

MatchMakers

Chapter 19: I Don't Do Surprises

Embarrassment was too small of a word to describe what I was feeling right now. I did not want an audience of people observing my first kiss but I knew well my mother had still been watching from the window and most likely called my dad to watch as well. I'm also not a fan of surprises as I liked to be fully aware of things so I can prepare, like this one. Why hadn't anyone told me Goten was coming.

We all sat in the living room, in awkward silence sipping hot chocolate and hoping someone would break this silence. He had changed, I barely recognized him, the last time I saw him he still resembled his father now he was looking more like his older brother. We had been the best of friends till my family moved away to the city when I was starting middle school, he was also one of the few people I could trust.

"I thought you said you were coming down tomorrow morning," my father broke the silence.

He gave a nervous smile before unconsciously scratching the back of his head. He really hasn't changed a bit.

"I couldn't wait any longer I wanted to see how much my little girl has grown up," he said with an imitation of a sad voice on the brink of tears, then he broke out of his act with laughter.

"Shut up," I laughed before throwing one of our couch pillows at him, he easily caught it.

A pillow fight was close to being ensued but as my mother gave us both stern glares we decided to act our age.

"So, Goten you and Marron are childhood friends I take?" Trunks asked.

In an instant I forgot of his presence which was very hard to believe as he was sitting right next to me and not too long ago we just shared a special moment together. I never mentioned Goten to him, I mean I never mentioned a lot to him as I was still being cautious on things I said and did around him.

"Yeah, me and pigtails go way back, but I'm sure Marron told you all about me."

"Aren't you too old for nicknames spiky?" I questioned with a smile, ignoring the part where he expected me to have told Trunks all about him. In all honesty I didn't think I would see him again, I just believed it was one of those friendships that lost its sync. I mean we used to write to each other but that had stopped at one point as well.

He laughed, "never."

I put my mug down, "So what brings you here at-" I looked at the clock, "8:51 on a Sunday night?"

"Aside from the surprise I'm just visiting. My match stays in the city and I promised I'll visit her when I had the chance so I'll just be staying here for a couple of weeks."

I ignored Trunks choking sound and stared at my once best friend, short for words. I know I should've felt some form of excitement as we had years worth of catching up to do, but as I stared at him twist the silver ring on his ring finger it didn't seem like it was a reunion of our friendship.

My parents excused themselves after collecting our empty mugs to wash. Trunks got up saying it was getting late before calling his chauffeur Henry. We all minus my parents waited outside for his ride to come and when it did come Trunks seemed to remember his manners.

"Sorry, I never really introduced myself I'm Trunks-"

"How can I not know you man, once I got to the city it's like everywhere I look your there. I'm Goten Son."

I watched them shake hands and Trunks gave me a hug before heading to the black car that was now parked out front of my house. We waved goodbye as they departed.

"So when did you like people hugging you?" He asked as we headed back into the warmth of the house.

"Shut it," I responded as I locked the door behind us.

"Marron show Goten to the guest room!" My father shouted from the kitchen.

I sighed before heading up stairs, he grabbed his suitcase and began to follow me.

"So, what's her name?" I asked, now bouncing on the bed of the guest room while he got situated by unpacking his clothes and putting them in the drawer.

"Who?"

I rolled my eyes, "your match of course!" I exclaimed.

"Valese," he responded after a short pause.

"So, do you like her?"

"Why are you asking me this question?" He defended.

"Why are you dodging the question?" I shot back.

"The Marron I know wouldn't give a rats ass about anything associated with MatchMakers,"

"I don't," I mumbled.

"Oh, so they didn't break you with their fairytale, that's good to know. So, how does it feel to be dating a model and millionaire?" He veered the question to me.

I kept quiet, though he was teasing his words were replaying in my mind. Specifically one word…dating. I was still confused on the status of our relationship, I mean we shared a kiss but a kiss can mean many things right? There was no way our relationship would work, but my heart seemed set and stone with the choice it made once it caused me to be bold and ask for a kiss. We were still strangers to each other, we hung around a plethora of times but we never still fully got to know each other. Did that kiss mean we were now dating or still confused teens playing with our emotions?

"Pigtails!"

"Huh?" I blinked to see Goten waving his hand over my face.

"You went quiet on me, you okay?"

"Yeah," I gave him a low response.

"Well it's been a long night for you and you have school tomorrow so I guess we both should hit the hay," he said in a yawn.

"Yeah, night."

"Goodnight."

I went to bed, even more confused then when he confessed to me.


	20. Chapter 20

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 20: Normal**

 **A/N: I'll admit it's been a very long time so instead of writing a paragraph of excuses I'll just present this and the next two chapters as a Thanksgiving gift to those who are surprisingly still reading this. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy and give a little appreciation with some reviews!**

 _ **Marron's POV**_

I never thought I would say this but school was a bit easier to bare. The bullying had stopped thanks to Trunks who eliminated the power house of the bullying. But that still didn't help me from dying from boredom in every class as I awaited to leave this hell.

I was in the courtyard in a matter of minutes once the dismissal bell rung. Stuck hearing some girls ahead of me whispering how they saw a boy standing by the gate in their classroom window and they were wondering who he was waiting for. I on the other hand didn't care, it obviously wasn't Trunks as he wouldn't be able to do such a bold move without being ambushed.

I stopped walking when I neared the gate and saw him casually leaning on the gate, I began walking again and stopped when we were side to side. I had forgotten he was staying in the city and that the possibility of him being the boy standing near the gate was a 99.9% chance.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned through gritted teeth.

I didn't need much attention being casted to me by the other girls then I already have this school year. Having a boy visit a girl in an all girls school was a huge deal. These girls thirsted for a males presence.

"For you silly," he responded.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you have to see your match?"

"She fell ill, but I've been with her for half the day helping her recover. But we both decided I needed some fresh air and what better way to get some then with my best friend giving me a tour of the city."

"I'm not a tour guide," I muttered and he smiled in response.

"Well today you are pigtails, let's go."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me to his parked car across the street, he was so lucky he owned a car. I always thought I was going to have a car before him.

"Are you still home schooled?" I questioned as I looked at the mass amount of papers and textbooks in the backseat of his car.

"Yup, what better teacher than my own mother right," he chuckled. "But she doubled my work because-"

"Your going to slack off like your doing now," I finished his sentence.

"Precisely, you know me too well tails."

I smiled lightly, "Well you just haven't changed a bit spiky." I responded as I fastened my seatbelt in the driver's seat. Since I knew the city better than he it was better I took the lead before we ended up lost.

We drove around for some time, mostly sightseeing through the car till Goten decided he wanted to go to a cafe lounge, it was between the fairly new one Trunks had told me about and the I had once usually gone to. Not feeling comfortable going to the one where Trunks wanted to go to badly and had his accident we went to what was once my usual middle school hangout spot.

It was a nice place, quiet for all bookworms, warm, classy and had great food and beverages on their menu. It was paradise. But I had stopped going because of painful memories, but now as I sit in this leather material booth chair and sink in the tranquility I can't believe I stayed away from this place so long.

I had excused myself once my phone begin to ring. It was Trunks.

"Hey."

"Where are you? I was running late and figured I wouldn't find you at school so I went to your house..."

I chuckled slightly at his concern, he reminded me of my father who was very protective over my mother and me. I looked over Goten's way as I now stood in the hall where the restrooms were located.

"At this cafe with Goten, it'll be cool if you came. You can get to know him better," I replied with enthusiasm.

He was silent for a couple of seconds before replying, "um, maybe next time I have some business to attend to. But have fun."

He hung up before I got to fully say I'll try. I decided to ignore his suspicious behavior for now. I had to entertain Goten for now. And I guess with his missing presence I wouldn't have to contemplate on trying to label our relationship.

"So how different is the country from the city?" I questioned once I came back and was now taking a look at the menu. I was already well familiar with every item and price on the menu that I could work here but just holding it in my hands brought back some positive memories.

"Industrialized," he responded before putting his menu down.

"Well of course it is I responded."

 _ **Trunks POV**_

I was an idiot to decline an offer to get out of this house and to a cafe. It would've been a place I could finally check off my list of places I've been to. But I knew better, I wouldn't truly enjoy myself going in disguise and I'm sure Marron and Goten wouldn't feel comfortable having to sit with someone who can get them all ambushed if a slip up happened.

I stared down at the monitor for my laptop and I have to admit I was acting like a stalker(ish) boyfriend (are we technically even dating? Idk). There was something about the way that Goten guy looked at her that ignited this protective mode of me, it was the same look I have for her. A look that expresses I like her more than just a friend.

So to carry out my suspicion I sent a body guard of mine to wear casual wear and spy on them through these special glasses my mother created a while back. Whatever he saw I could see. And whatever he could hear I could hear from the earpiece in his ear.

Nothing sinister was really happening like making a move on her but casual conversation. But as they ate and talked he kept twisting a silver ring identical to the one Marron wore and the one where she told me it symbolized nothing. I closed the laptop before dismissing my guard in a mumble there was something she still wasn't telling me and I didn't want to evade her privacy anymore I learned my lesson the first time I did that.

I was really falling for her, hard. I didn't even know where our relationship at the moment stood but I didn't want to give up the fight. And I have to admit I was jealous of Goten at the moment, he had the liberty of being able to hangout with her anywhere and anytime without having the fear of being ambushed and not ruining the vibe because your high status still restricts you from fully enjoying yourself. I lived in a constant fear of going outside as my life had no right to privacy and I don't want Marron living like that, no one should suffer the way I'm suffering. I couldn't even simply do normal things. That was the problem in my life and would be the downfall in trying to make Marron my girlfriend.

 _ **Marrons POV**_

I spoiled myself rotten and ate a bunch of sweets that I was now regretting to have eaten so much. While Goten who knew I was going to get a stomachache teased me as he drove home. It was nice to be out with someone besides Trunks and I'm not saying it as a bad thing. But there wasn't a pressured feeling I always felt when I was in public with Trunks as I always feared at some point we may get ambushed if his disguise was blown. It was a normal hangout.

"Wanna go on a double date?"

I was drifting off to sleep when he randomly sprung the question.

"Nope," I replied.

"Aw come on it'll be fun," he encouraged.

My answer remained the same.

He parked the car, we were home now.

"Well here's the problem,"

I gave him a stern look.

"I already promised Valese that you guys agreed."

"You son of a-"

"Gun, thanks I knew you would understand."

I growled at him while he flashed his pearly white teeth at me. I hated being set up. His way of treating me at the cafe was bribery and I had no way out. I mean I can easily ditch, stay under the radar for sometime most likely at my uncle's house. But I don't want his match thinking I didn't like her because I stood them up.

"I. Hate. You." I muttered to him as he helped me out the car, my body sluggish because of my full stomach.

"Love you too Tails."

I growled at him once more, too lazy to speak words. Once I got to my room I texted Trunks about the stupid double date before passing out on my bed.


	21. Chapter 21

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 21: The Ring**

Marron had told me Goten forcibly included us on a double date with his match, she wasn't enthusiastic about it but I kind of was. At this very moment I didn't even know what to categorize our relationship, it just felt like the other day she didn't even consider me a friend but now I was wondering should I even classify her as my girlfriend. Well tonight I was going to make it official and ask her out, which may seem really weird as we're already matched but I needed to hear from her that she wanted to be with me for real.

I sighed through the mirror, I had been battling with my appearance for half an hour, more specifically my hair. I kept debating whether I should keep it as my regular style or slick back. I was tempted to call the triplets a while back to come help me with what I was making out to be a crisis when in reality it was just my nerves getting to me. Currently I was rocking my hair slicked back and I'm pretty sure I slapped on too much gel which also meant there was no turning back as I was already dressed and there was no time to wash my hair, get dressed again and not be late for the date.

Aside from the large amount of gel used the style didn't look too bad if I do say so myself but it did make a statement, that I was trying too hard for this date. And I'm pretty sure Marron would point that out, she may not have wanted this date to happen but I was excited about it. Hence my over gelling.

I was just spraying cologne on myself when a knock sounded on my door. And it seemed like no one ever waited for me to say come in as my mother just barged right in. Through the mirror I watched her stare at me, a small smile on her lips.

"You look handsome," she complimented, breaking the silence.

"Thank you, mother," I said while readjusting my sapphire bowtie.

She walked up to me and I was forced to turn around and face her. Our relationship had become strained for the past three years since I was forced to become a model and make a "positive image" of myself as the future heir of CC. I don't know why modeling out of all things as I never questioned and did as I was told. But now I was getting sick of it, I was a teenager restricted from freedom by the world and my own mother. She wasn't like this before with me, I had some more freedom back then.

She removed my hands from my bowtie, "It's fine," she said in reference to me nervously trying to fix my bowtie that actually didn't need fixing.

She took a deep breath as she looked me in the eye, "Trunks-"

"I'll be home by 9," I interrupted.

I read a quick glimpse of sadness in her eyes but I choose to ignore it at the moment. I was already nervous and couldn't afford to get all gloomy. I could tell she wanted to apologize for something but that would have to wait for another day, when I was ready.

As my phone ringed I took this opportunity to break our closeness as I went over to my bed and retrieved my phone.

"Hello," I answered cheerfully.

"I'm outside."

"What you say now?" I questioned, I was supposed to be picking her up, which was what we agreed upon yesterday.

I actually took it upon myself to plan the entire date for us all as I wanted not only myself to be comfortable but everyone else which is why I rented out an entire restaurant, so we could dine in peace. It took me a few days to find a great place that allowed me to rent the entire place out and schedule everything from the time I would pick Marron up to the time I would ask her out.

"But-"

"Henry needs a break from driving you around all the time and my parents were annoying me about this date, so I had to escape. Now get your butt down here," she said in a nonchalant manner.

I smiled over the phone, she always seems to surprise me. "Alright I'm coming," I replied before hanging up.

I turned around to see my mother was still here, "Um…to be continued?"

"To be continued," she responded.

I headed for the door and only managed to touch the knob when she said my name.

I made eye contact.

"Have fun."

I smiled and gave her a thanks before heading down the stairs while patting my pockets to make sure my wallet was in one of them. It was.

When I made it downstairs my father and Bulla was by the front door. My father had just nodded at me while my sister handed me a blue corsage with a note attached to it.

 _Sorry we couldn't make it, we know how excited you were about today but decided that you could spruce yourself up without us (we hope). Anywho enjoy the night and DON'T BE NERVOUS! If you can do an interview for television, you can ask a girl out!_

 _Sincerely S.A.W. (Summer, Autumn, Winter)_

I couldn't help but smile, they were one of the few people I could confide in and they were always great in helping me not be nervous before a photo shoot and interviews especially when I first started out. I thanked Bulla before heading out.

I was in the car in a matter of minutes and was stuck staring at her for a couple of seconds. Gorgeous was too small of a word to describe her appearance right about now. I mean she always looked beautiful, but this was a whole new level of beauty I hadn't seen from her. The last time I saw her wear a dress was when we first met which was also the first time I saw her with her hair loose into golden waves.

"Stop staring, your making me uncomfortable," she admitted, cheeks red.

I blinked before apologizing, "it's just that-"

"You expected me to go on this date with a sweatshirt and sweatpants?"

I chuckled.

"Well I couldn't sneak pass my mother and she did this to me," she said gesturing with her hands the transformation her mother did for her.

"Well I like it," I responded.

She smiled, "Well you don't look too bad yourself, but your hair-"

"Yeah I know," I interrupted while she laughed.

I rolled my eyes but smiled, cheeks reddening.

I looked down at my hand and remembered the corsage, "Uh, here," I said offering it to her.

She stared at it for a moment.

"Did you know I was going to wear this sapphire dress?"

Honestly it was a lucky guess the twins had made, but then again, I'm wearing the suit the matchmakers had left in our hotel room a while back with the sapphire handkerchief and bow tie and it wasn't much of a coincidence now that I think about it that she was wearing the matching sapphire dress. Knowing her she wouldn't have liked to have gone out to buy a new dress when she already had one.

"Lucky guess," I responded.

She gave me her hand and I put it on her wrist.

"I hope you know this isn't prom," she commented as she stared at the corsage for a moment before she took the car out of park and followed the GPS to the restaurant.

"Well it's a special night," I responded.

I was glad it was already dark out as it made it easier to sneak into the restaurant without being seen and that I would finally be able to enjoy myself here without fear of fan interrupting something as normal as a date. The owners thanked me for coming before showing me and Marron to our table.

…

"If he doesn't show I'm going to kill him," Marron muttered under her breath as we waited a couple of minutes and Goten still hadn't shown his face.

She had to take back her words a minute later as a smiling Goten walked up to us with his match by his side.

"Sorry we're late, I'm still new to the city," he explained before pulling out a seat for his match before taking his seat for himself.

"Valese this is my best friend Marron and her Match Trunks."

She gave a wide smile before putting her hand out for us to shake.

"It's so nice to officially meet you guys. I thought Goten was lying when he said his best friend was matched with the model Trunks Briefs. Ah, you're so lucky to have scored so big Marron," she squealed.

Goten cleared his throat, "I'm right here," he mumbled.

She blushed at his statement, "You know I'm just teasing Ten."

I should've expected his match would be a fan, but I hung around Marron so much that I forgot people weren't like her. She didn't see me as a big celebrity, but a regular human being and I loved that about her. I'm the one whose lucky and scored big on getting her as my match.

"So where do you guys go to school?" Valese asked, breaking the silence as we just finished ordering our meals.

"I'm home schooled," me and Goten answered in unison.

"I go to Sein all girls high school," Marron replied, spinning her straw in the glass cup of water.

"No kidding, really? Me too!"

She looked up from her cup and looked at Valese.

"I'm surprised, I haven't seen you there," she responded.

They talked among themselves discussing things such as what class they were in or where they go out to eat lunch while I silently waited for the food. It would've been smart to make small talk with Goten but I didn't know where to begin.

"So, how is it being a model? I was thinking about becoming one myself" Valese asked me.

Our meals had long been placed on the table and half eaten.

"Um…" I paused, I hadn't expected such a question. In all honesty I despised modeling, there was too much pressure in keeping my body and appearance a certain way and I hated being looked upon as an idol. People shouldn't idolize me especially as a person I didn't want to be and a person who wasn't real, I wasn't perfect.

"It's stressful and you wouldn't want to be in such a predicament," I decided to tell the truth not wanting her to enter the same hectic path I was in right now. Through TV and the magazines, they make modeling seem like an amazing dream career but the reality is that it isn't.

The room grew silent, the only thing heard was the soft music of jazz playing and the clattering of our utensils.

"How long have you guys been intimate in your relationship?"

Marron choked while I held my fork of spaghetti midair before placing it down.

"What type of question is that?" she shot at him once she cleared her throat.

"A curious one."

She stared at him with fierceness in her eyes, "Well curiosity killed the cat Goten!"

I touched Marron's shoulders hoping to calm her before mumbling to her it was fine while she tried to argue to me that it wasn't.

"Just that one time where you saw us kiss," I replied, knowing something was up with him.

"Really?" Valese questioned shocked, ridding the tense silence that was soon to overcome the table.

"It's been over a week now since me and Goten met up again and three days since I got better, and he hasn't laid a finger on me," she casually confessed about their not so intimate relationship. Causing Goten ears to grow pink.

"Well I personally think a good relationship is one that isn't rushed," Marron responded while I nodded my head in agreement.

Some time had passed and Marron and Valese had excused themselves to head to the lady's room as Valese accidentally dropped ice cream on her dress and Marron went to help her clean it off. I was stuck in awkward silence watching Goten twirl a silver ring identical to the one I noticed Marron wore. I remember when I first took notice of that ring was when it was our last day at the hotel and I asked her did it symbolize anything as she didn't seem to be like the jewelry type and she responded that it meant nothing and sometimes forgot she wore it.

"You and Marron have the same ring; does it mean anything?" I mustered up the courage and asked.

He smiled, "Do you really want to know?"

"If you're willing to tell me."

"Alright," he took a sip of water, nailing the dramatic effect. "When me and Marron were younger and before she moved away we were great friends. We hung out all the time and told each other everything. When she found out about the law called MatchMakers she immediately rejected it because she had plans to travel the world and didn't want marriage and children to tie her down from her goals. So, I saved up my allowance and bought these rings and proposed to her saying when we grow older we can run away from that law and get married. I told her I wouldn't tie her down and that a journey with two is better than one."

I stared at him for a couple of seconds trying to process all of what he told me. He chuckled at my confusion and I could tell he was itching to tell me this story probably since we first met but needed to wait for the perfect moment and he planned it perfectly with this date.

"How do you know she still feels the same way of wanting to run away and get married?" I finally managed to get a hold of myself. He was still living in the past, a childhood crush that festered over the years.

"Why else would she still be wearing the ring?"


	22. Chapter 22

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 22: Date Drama**

 _ **Marron's POV**_

The date was over in a flash. And as I drove to Trunks house he was oddly silent which said a lot of things as the only time he seemed to have caught his tongue in wanting to talk to me is if he wanted to hold my hand.

"That was...fun I guess," I said trying to set the mood, I wasn't fond of this silence as I expected he had a million things to say to me, since he was the one really excited for this date.

He just kept staring out the window. Not uttering a word.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Once again silence. I really didn't like being the one trying to initiate small talk, I was horrible at it.

I stopped at the closed gate of his house, trying to make eye contact but his eyes didn't leave the window. I tried to read his body language to get a hint on why he was ignoring me, the only thing I got from him was that he currently wasn't comfortable sitting in the car with me.

"Did Goten tell you something?" I finally asked as I entered the now open gate of his house. They had been alone for some time as I had to help Valese clean her dress and answer a question she asked me. So I wouldn't be surprised if Goten sprung something on him. When he first came I knew his only intent wasn't to renew our friendship. But I wanted to hear from him what exactly Goten told him to confirm it before I put my two cents in.

I parked the car in front of his house, he was still silent as he opened the car door.

"Don't you dare leave me in the dark," I exclaimed as he was stepping out the car and still hadn't addressed any of my questions.

"I'm leaving you in the dark?" He scoffed, "Your the one leaving me in the dark, you've always had," he shot back. Finally speaking.

I stared at him with hurt in my eyes, he was telling the truth but God did the truth hurt sometimes. I wasn't always open to him as I wasn't that type of person.

"I-I'm sorry," he immediately apologized.

"No, no, I deserve that," I dismissed his apology. Even if he managed to hurt my feelings a little I had no right to be mad at the truth. It was better than lying to my face. I needed to learn to be more open, especially with him. He made it clear that he had no intentions of hurting me.

"It's been a long night, why don't we call it," he sympathized as we seemed to have been stuck in an awkward few seconds of silence.

"Yeah," I replied slowly before taking my eyes off him and looking down at the steering wheel.

He closed the door and I pulled off when he entered his house.

 _ **Trunks POV**_

I entered the house to see my mother had waited up for me, sitting on the couch reviewing work notes.

"Hey handsome, how the date go?" She asked as she placed her notes down and patted the seat next to her, indicating I should sit and spill.

I knew she was going to ask the question but I hadn't prepared a response as I myself didn't know the answer to that question. All I know was that it wasn't how I imagined and wanted it to be. Though I didn't credit her before, my mother did help me setup the date by helping me find a restaurant and I needed an adult signature to rent it out for myself. So I was grateful for that and I guess it was her way of trying to mend our broken mother son relationship.

"I just want to go to bed," I confessed.

Brief silence.

"Yeah, sure get your rest," she sounded a little rejected as she picked her notes back up.

I wished her a goodnight before heading to my room and did the opposite of what I told my mother I was going to do. I couldn't find myself to sleep. His words kept replaying in my head, "why else would she be wearing the ring."

I didn't think much about it in the beginning as he told his story, yes I was taken aback a little about the entire proposal but that was a schoolboy crush that he didn't seem to get over and having known Marron for these pass couple of months it seemed like she had moved on from that schoolgirl "crush" if it was even one to her. But that was in the past is what I thought. He just wanted to play mind games with me and say those words ("then why is she still wearing the ring") that was now haunting my brain.

Did she still like him? Because if she did I stood no chance against him. He had the freedom to have a healthy relationship with her without having to worry that it will be invaded by the media. He was everything I wanted to be.

I sighed, sitting up from my previous position, which was my face in a pillow. Today was supposed to be the day I further my relationship with Marron in trying to put a label on it by asking her out and hoping she would say yes. But I wasn't able to execute my plan due to the unexpected. And stuck once again trying to see where our relationship stood.

 _ **Marron's POV**_

I had drove home frustrated with tonight. I didn't care much for the date like Trunks had but I was warming up to it a bit. Yet it seemed to put a slight strain on whatever our relationship was. (Romantic interest?) Whatever it was I had a bone to pick with Goten.

"Hey pumpkin how was the date?"

My full body barely made it into the door as my mother who was sitting on the couch next to my father questioned me.

"Uh..." I didn't have an exact answer to that question and I honestly didn't feel like finding one to give them.

"Forget what happened, what took you so long? Do you know what time it is young lady?"

It was my uncle's voice, I looked around and wasn't successful in placing his voice with a body.

My father pointed at his cell and I rolled my eyes as I could tell he annoyed my parents into having him be on speaker phone when I got home.

"For the last time 17 we trust her enough to not do something crazy," my father reassured him.

"Well I don't trust him he's-"

My mother hung up, to all our pleasure.

"So why did take you so long?" My mother asked with a slight smirk on her face.

My face flushed pink, though we didn't do anything her implication was all that needed to be said for my face to react.

"N-nothing really, did Goten come yet?"

"Not yet, is everything alright sweetheart?" My father asked concerned.

I smiled at his concern before dismissing them both that everything was dandy before making my way out the front door to sit on the porch and wait for him to come.

I waited for some time and was tempted to go back in to fetch my jacket as the cold night breeze was attacking my bare skin. Yet I didn't want to go inside to get it to find that he had come home and was inside already, I needed to confront him outside so my parents wouldn't overhear.

His car had finally pulled up later and I was glad. I stood up and headed towards the gate.

"What are you doing out here in cold?" He questioned before immediately taking off his coat and wrapping it around my shoulders.

I wanted to push it off, it was a kind gesture but at the moment I was mad at him but at the same moment I was freezing. So I kept it.

"I have a bone to pick with you," I stated angrily, staring him down with my best angry look.

"Well go on and pick it."

"What did you tell Trunks?" I asked grabbing the hem of his tie, if I pulled too hard I could choke him.

He gave me one of his playful smiles.

"I think you already know."

I growled at his answer before letting go of his tie.

"How old were we Ten?" My anger disappeared, realizing I shouldn't be angry, the truth always tends to come out someway.

"About 11," he answered.

"So, can you realize that this was one of those stupid childhood promises?" I asked in a sympathetic voice. I didn't want to crush him. I had feelings for him a long time ago but we lost our sync and I was set on never getting in a relationship then Trunks came along and changed my views.

"What happened to the old Marron? The one who was going to defy the system, we were supposed to defy it together."

He stared at me intently, wanting answers.

"She's dead," I mumbled so low he barely caught my words.

"So you did fall for this fairytale lie, he doesn't know you like I do Marron. We've known each other for years and him some lousy months," his voice elevated a bit.

"He was there for me when I needed someone the most. So where were you?!"I asked, at the brim of tears, voice raised as well.

"Don't paint me as the villain Marron you could've contacted me as well," his voice was full of hurt.

I walked back to the porch, sitting on the step, overwhelmed with so many emotions. He sat next to me.

Dreadful seconds of silence.

"Do you love him?" He broke the silence.

"Love is a strong word-" I began.

"Your avoiding the question," he interrupted me.

"I have feelings for him," I admitted, my cheeks reddening.

"I see."

"Do you really though? I know you coming here to visit your match wasn't the only thing you came to do."

He gave a small smile, "I was just hoping you would be matched with a prick so when the time came we would runaway together," he chuckled softly, "I guess I was the one living in a fairytale," he sighed.

"No you were living in reality, I honestly thought Trunks would be a rich prick but he's a sweet rich boy. So I'm sorry about us."

I had hoped my words didn't hurt him but I could tell in his eyes he was affected by it.

"No need to apologize Mare. I was half expecting this, that night when I came to surprise you I saw the way you looked at him and knew I didn't have much of a chance now but I still wanted to try, denial can make you dream. What we had together was in the past and I guess its time to move on."

I gave a small smile, happy to hear he wasn't completely devastated.

"But you did like me?" He questioned with a sly smirk while removing the tension between us.

I chuckled and gave him a playful push, "I think you already know the answer."

Silence.

"Are you still planning to runaway from the system?"

"No, I'll see if Valese was a fateful match like you and Trunks."

"And if she isn't?" I asked, curious.

"I'm sure she is," he admitted.

"So you do like her?" I questioned amazed. I was believing he had no interest for her especially as he was mainly here to runaway with me.

I stood up, so did he and I hugged him.

"Your growing soft on me Tails," he said as he hugged me back.

"Then I'll cut the hug short Spiky," I threatened.

He laughed, "Don't ever change Marron."

I gave him a full smile, "Same to you."

I had just opened the door when he offered to talk to Trunks for me and apologize for his rude childish behavior but I dismissed his offer, I needed to talk with him myself.

"One last question," he said as we were now climbing the stairs.

I was exhausted now and was carrying my heels.

"Why do you still wear the ring?"


	23. Chapter 23

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 23: Will You Marry Me?**

 **A/N: A very late Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Years Eve! My gift to you, I hope you enjoy these two chapters post and please favorite, follow, and review if your liking the story!**

 _ **5 YEARS AGO**_

 **Goten's POV**

I was breathless by the time I made it to the large dandelion fields where she was just standing there in her sundress violently whipping in the wind and holding her tan hat as she took in nature's beauty. I felt the heat rush to my face and the butterflies in my stomach began to flutter uncontrollably. She was leaving, her family was moving to the city and I couldn't do anything about it. We've been best friends since we were babies, inseparable, but now what I believed to have once been impossible was possible. We were separable. She turned to me, acknowledging my presence, my heart began its rapid beating as she gave me one of those cute smiles that I've come to love when directed at me.

"Hey Spiky!" She called out through the wind, she sounded so casual, as if this wasn't the last time we would see each other.

I returned the smile even when my emotions were trying to force me to frown. I ran up to her and the second I reached her she grabbed my hand.

"Pigtails!" I tried to protest, right now she was in her own world with nature, admiring the beauty before she would go on to talk about how she wanted to travel the world. I didn't mind listening to her plans to travel, I loved them, but each time she spoke of her future adventures she never included me. At the moment I needed to tell her how I felt, that I wanted to be by her side forever.

She stopped dragging me once we made it in view of the beautiful river on the other side of the field. Her eyes always sparkled when she stared at it. Look at it Spiky, she would always say and I would look at it as if it was the first time I laid my eyes upon it. We stared at it for a while till she finally decided to talk.

"I can't believe we're moving," she mumbled her words sadly.

I didn't expect to hear her sad tone, she was a cheerful person, optimistic, but moving into the city wouldn't offer her the chance to see nature at its best. Just so much infrastructure.

"You can always visit," I suggested.

She looked at me, sadness in her eyes before mumbling how her parents will be busy with work and the trip to the countryside won't be a guarantee. I frowned at the truth, they were moving because of her parents work, the countryside would just be a thing in the past. She bought her attention back to the river.

"Well when I get older, deny my match and suffer the consequences I'm gonna travel the world," she said, brushing off the reality of now.

I loved hearing her defiance, she was so strong willed and confident. But I still didn't fit in the equation for her plans of voyage.

I noticed we were still holding hands and wanted this moment to last forever, just the two of us enjoying each other's company. I played with the rings in my right pocket, growing nervous at what I was about to do.

"Marron."

She turned her attention to me, looking at me as she wondered why I said her name so seriously. We rarely called each other by our first names once we developed the nicknames. So when we did call each other by our first names it meant something serious was up. The atmosphere was different.

"What's wrong Goten?"

It was a silly question to ask but everything happening right now was wrong, she was leaving when we were supposed to be inseparable, just as our families would call our friendship. I would be all alone. I took a deep breath.

"I really like you Marron!" I blurted out, my face reddening, while I managed to shock myself with my boldness.

She sported a look of surprise before laughing and in a way I felt rejected, she saw my confession as silly. I let go of her hand, ready to embarrassingly leave far away from here just for her to quickly grab hold of it again.

"I'm laughing at how cute you were silly," she chuckled some more while my ears turned pink at being called cute. "I really like you too," she reassured with a bright smile.

I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing, she liked me too…I returned the smile before tackling her with an overjoyed hug that caused us to tumble to the ground. I apologized for hugging her (she wasn't a fan of hugs) and making her fall after I helped her up. Then I remembered the rings in my pockets. I took them out and knelt down on one knee, receiving a bewildered look from her.

"I know you want to defy the MatchMakers and travel the world, so when we get older let's runaway from the law and get married. I promise I won't tie you down because a journey of two is better than one."

We looked at each other for sometime, my heart racing each passing second hoping I didn't embarrass myself and jeopardize our friendship because I was seeking for something more.

"You promise?" She questioned seriously, finally breaking away that awkward silence.

"Yes!"

She looked at the ring, then back to me, "yes," she smiled as she answered. I placed the ring on her ring finger, it was a little too big, but I bought it a couple sizes bigger so it would fit us both by the time we turn 16 and runaway together. She took the other ring from my grasp and slipped it on my ring finger.

I got up from my kneeling position and kissed her cheek, causing us both to turn red in the face.

"Marron!"

"Goten!"

We turned to the voices calling our names, it was our family with worried expressions. They scolded us for running off when it was time for Marron and her parents to leave, but I didn't care, Marron likes me and we are going to get married soon. In the end, that's all that mattered.

 **Present Time**

Marron's POV

I got up from my bed as soon as I woke up, freshened myself up before going down for breakfast.

"And that's how she almost burned down the house."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment the moment I caught the end of my father's story and heard Goten laughing. As a father he aced his job in embarrassing his daughter.

"Dad!" I whined the moment I fully stepped in the dining room. They laughed more, my mother just smiled. It was my first time cooking and I managed to set the food on fire, my mother immediately put the fire out, but my father loved to exaggerate and say I almost burned the house.

I huffed before taking a seat to eat.

"I hear you're a renown chef, when can I taste your cooking?" Goten asked as I shot my father a look. He loved bragging about my cooking skills, making it seem like it was amazing but it was just average.

"How about tonight?" My mother "suggested" but it was more of a command for me since it'll give her a break from cooking tonight.

"Fine," I sighed. While Goten excitedly replied that he couldn't wait.

I headed to my room after breakfast, texting Trunks we needed to talk, luckily he agreed as I wouldn't want to experience that month of silence, depression, and guilt again. I was sliding down the stairwell after I changed into something more appropriate for the cool weather before telling my father I was stepping out.

I awkwardly entered his room once I was invited up, the same room where the quest for freedom all began, where he confessed his love for me. I handed him a bouquet of flowers and a bag of goodies.

"Ok, now I think you're trying to help me get through a breakup," he said as he looked through the bag that contained his favorite flavors of ice cream, he picked up a box of tissues and I held in my laughter. "I was not crying!" He accused me for assuming.

"If that's what you like to tell yourself Briefs," I responded with a small smile.

"I'm not going to win this argument am I?" He questioned what would be a battle of me saying he was definitely crying and he defending himself by saying he was not.

"You're a smart guy Trunks," was all I responded.

Even after breaking the ice with our silliness the room fell silent. The events of last night playing on our mind.

"About yesterday…lets just forget about it," he proposed seconds after engulfed silence.

If I were the same person just a day ago I would've agreed with dropping it, but after hearing from him yesterday how I always left him in the dark he deserved to see the light. I wasn't an open person but if I were to make whatever this relationship was work I couldn't keep everything to myself, at least the things that would affect him in some way.

"No, lets talk about it," I fessed up. "I'm sorry for not telling you and how rude Goten was to you. It's just that I never expected that part of my past to catch up to the present. I really liked Goten back then and honestly, if I hadn't met you I would've been a crazed teen running away with him now."

We stared at each other and through his eyes I could read the question that was itching on everyone's mind. Why do I still wear the ring? It was a good question, the ring had symbolized matrimony and it was something I really didn't want to associate myself with, but back then Goten had convinced me. But as the years had gone by and are friendship began to fade I saw the ring in a different light, the symbol of our once strong friendship. I wore it as a friendly reminder of the good times, when I still had a true friend I could trust.

"I consider it a friendship ring now, it serves as a reminder not only on the good times we had together but how he was such a great friend."

"I'm sorry for assuming otherwise," he embarrassingly confessed. But knowing Goten he probably really convinced Trunks I was still serious about the promise.

"So we cool?" I asked, raising my fist up to him.

"Cooler than ice," he responded before fist bumping me while I rolled my eyes at his remark.

Silence.

"You want to learn how to drive later on this week?" I randomly asked.

He looked at me with surprise, "Really?!"

He was seventeen, relying on Chauffeurs to drive him around. With the ability to drive he would have more freedom to go where he pleased. I also realized I was slowly becoming his personal chauffeur.

"Sure why not."

He contemplated for a moment then his smile immediately faded. "My mom won't allow me to learn," he mumbled, downcast.

She really kept him on a tight leash, forbidding him how to learn how to drive was one of the ways to limit his freedom. And honestly I was getting a little fed up with it, I know he was restricted to do many things because of his fame, but he is a teenager who needs to live his life dammit.

"It's time for you to step up to your mother, you're seventeen and you have the right to enjoy your life."

I didn't want him to disobey his mother but these past months we've done rebellious things that freed him from the wretched schedule. It was a cry for help, but his mother didn't seem to really take the bait.

He looked at me, petrified by the idea.

"If you don't do it who else will? I know you're tired of living like this, I've done the best that I could do but you're the only one who can truly free yourself."

Not too long ago he said I made him feel free and it melted my heart to hear such words, but the freedom I offered him was still nowhere close to the true freedom he wanted to attain, the one he believed he couldn't gain.

I took his silence as an invitation to go on, he was obviously scared to confront his mother but he also knew he had no choice. "I know you're scared to do it and your kinda a mama's boy who doesn't want to hurt your mother's feelings. But whenever you decide to talk to her just know that though I can't be there physically I'm rooting for you."

"I-"

Before he had a chance to say anything Bulla burst into the room shouting my name. Kidnapping me to play with her in her room. And after enduring four hours of tea time, house, fashion show, snacks, and a movie she was down for her afternoon nap. While Trunks who wasn't allowed to join the play date as Bulla wanted me all to herself apologized for being sucked into her shenanigans. But I didn't mind much, though kids are crazy hyperactive beings it was fun playing with her.

We were walking to my car when I remembered the dinner I was forced to prepare tonight before inviting him over as he liked my cooking for some odd reason, he had five Star chefs at his disposal but he would prefer my food over theirs. A weirdo, am I right?

"I don't want to sound rude, but is Goten going to be there?"

They didn't hit off on good terms, I wouldn't go as far and say Goten hates him but he is really envious of him. Even though he told me yesterday he would be happy for us and pursue a relationship with Valese it still wouldn't be wise to have the two together, especially when Goten is now getting over a heartbreak between a love triangle that formed within us.

"Yeah…." I trailed my response.

"I'm sorry but I have to decline," he said dejectedly.

"I understand," I responded softly, entering the car. "Just don't forget what I said earlier," I reminded as I started the car and closed the door. We waved goodbye as I departed.

When I got home to prepare dinner my mother informed me Goten had gone out to see his match earlier today but will be back in time for dinner. I was happy to hear as it was half his fault that I was cooking when I could've been in bed reading a new book series.

Time passed and dinner was long ready and served yet Goten didn't show as promised. I got his number from my father and called him a dozen times, no answer, just straight to voicemail. I got up from my seat and headed upstairs, he wasn't like this. I knocked on the guest room he was staying in, silence. I twisted the knob, it was open but as I entered it was pitch black. I turned on the light to find the room empty, it looked as if no one had been staying here, his luggage gone and as I checked the dressers his clothes weren't here either.

I turned around and spotted an envelope on the bed, I debated whether or not to touch it, but it had to give me a clue on his whereabouts and sudden departure. I picked up the white envelope to find it was addressed to me.


	24. Chapter 24

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 24: Goodbye For Now**

 _Dear Marron (Pigtails),_

 _I know I'm being selfish and acting like a child. But I can't play the act and be all smiles when I'm hurting. It was five years ago, I know we were kids and how long its been since that day, but it really felt like yesterday. I can see how happy he makes you and I'm happy that your happy. But I still can't handle that he's the one as you phrase it "have feelings" for. I'm not saying I hate him because I don't, he seems like a nice guy who likes you a lot and will make your goal of traveling the world easier. But I have to admit I'm very jealous and I don't know how long this envy will rage, that's why I had to leave so suddenly, seeing you...seeing him and the way he looks at you keeps pulling my heart strings. I'm not blaming you both for this pain, it was bound to happen and I thought I was ready for it, turns out I wasn't prepared in the slightest. I know I said I was moving on but being in a relationship right now is difficult...I just need to breathe and pick my life back up. Valese was upset at first then she was understanding, we're on a pause but I'm hoping one day we can have a relationship like yours and nothing forced. I wish you the best by saying just continue being you, accomplish those goals and stay happy!_

 _P.S. I know you won't accept it but I'm not giving you a choice. Under the pillow is another envelope with my savings. Add it to yours so you can travel. Bon Voyage._

 _Goten (Spiky)_

 **Marron's POV**

My parents told me I wasn't thinking straight and that it was too late in the day to make the trip to the countryside but I didn't care. I couldn't hold it off, I needed to go now. I didn't tell them the reason why I I was so anxious to go, they never knew about the proposal five years ago, but I'm sure they knew me and Goten liked each other back then. So after finally convincing them I was headed to the country side, which ended up a family road trip as my parents said it was a long drive and dangerous around that time. Even after my father drove for a couple of hours the trip felt short, probably because I was stuck deep in thought. My life right now felt like a movie drama, the cliché ones I would barf at.

It was around 9pm when we made it and we apologized to Chi-Chi who was taken aback by our sudden surprise visit. It's been years since we last visited. She invited us in and immediately made us feel at home, giving us warm blankets and hot chocolate. Goku I assumed had come out the shower from the towel wrapped around his waist was heading towards the kitchen till Chi-Chi shooed him, scolding him to get dressed while he defended himself by saying he didn't know we had guest. Moments later he came back dressed and he and my father went to the kitchen to catch up while I was stuck listening to my mother and Chi-Chi strike conversation. I so badly wanted to ask where Goten was, but knowing it was rude to interrupt grownups I kept my mouth shut, patiently waiting till he arrived or someone told me of his whereabouts.

"So Marron I heard you were matched with Trunks Briefs," Chi-Chi said so casually yet in a surprising tone.

Everyone made it out to be so grand, when in the end he was just human like us all, but money and fame speaks in higher volumes.

"Yeah, I'm sorry but where's Goten?" I asked changing the subject knowing well a series of familiar questions was going to be asked. Like how does it feel to be dating a model? Etc.

"Oh where are my manners, I got so caught up with you guys visit. He had come home so suddenly even when he had a week left in the city. He placed his luggage down and took a backpack with him, said he was going to the fields."

I got up from the couch, telling them I needed to go see him, Chi-Chi handed me an extra blanket to give to him saying he left with nothing warm to wear. I used my cellphone's flashlight to guide my way through the dark field. Through the dark I could still make out my favorite childhood spots and all the fun me and Goten had here. I kept walking, nearing the spot where he had proposed and the memory of it playing freshly in my mind. I was serious about it back then, running away, marrying him and traveling the world. But the more I think about it now the sillier it sounds, it would've been impossible to travel the world with the little money we saved up, hell we wouldn't have survived, but knowing Goten he would've found a way. That's the type of person he was and I had led him on just as I had led Trunks on, why did I managed to always do that?

I felt my body go still once I found him sitting on the edge of the cliff that separated the field from the river. I was at the brink of tears as I neared the view, it was always breathtaking, but as I approached the river I was at lost for words. I never saw it at night since I wasn't allowed to venture here at night when I was younger and it would've been hard to see the beauty, but the led candles floating on leaf pads that formed a shape of a heart took my breath away. I wondered how long it took him to set it up, but I couldn't come to ask, it would just hurt him more as I assumed this gesture was for me to see if we had gone through with running away with each other.

I looked away from the sight, regaining myself from the surprise. "You shouldn't be out in the cold," I lightly scolded, wrapping the blanket on his back before taking a seat next to him.

He pulled the blanket closer so it was now hugging his body, "What are you doing here?" He asked, his eyes still focused on the led candles.

"Did you not expect me to come after reading your letter?" I ask almost in a concerned voice.

"I don't know...no."

"Goten, I care about you. The past few years may not have seemed like that but I really do. And I know an apology is the last thing you want to hear right now, but I really am sorry. I can't fathom what you're going through, but I just want you to know I'm not ditching you."

"Thanks for all that really, but you didn't have to drive all the way here-"

"You left me no choice," I interrupted, almost in a hiss. He was not picking up my calls and this time he was leaving my life with feelings of guilt and sorrow. "You want me to be happy, but you left without a proper goodbye which not only made me unhappy but extremely worried."

He looked at me for a second, grief written on his face. Not liking that he managed to make me unhappy. But I cared less about my happiness at the moment, I just wanted him to be okay.

"...I just want some time alone, because every time I look at you I'm just reminded on what I lost and how he has the luxury of being with you. You're an amazing person and I know you didn't mean to hurt me intentionally, but you still hurt me. I don't want to live in denial and say I'm okay when I'm far from it, I just need some time to heal. So, no hard feelings Marron."

Everything he said was something I could relate to in a sense, when I was backstabbed by Jessica and needed time to heal I didn't want to live in denial of the pain nor did I want company when I was going through it. I was glad he knew I didn't mean to purposely hurt him, but I still felt the guilt of hurting him deeply.

"No hard hard feelings Goten," I replied as I got up and placed a warm container of my food he so badly wanted next to him and the money he tried to give me attached to my own personal letter to him.

"Whenever you're ready to meet up again just know I'm a phone call away," I said before leaving him to himself.

 _Dear Goten (Spiky),_

 _I know I apologized a million times already and an apology is the last thing you want to hear, but guess what? I'm selfish too. So I'm sorry. I can only say I relate a little to your pain, but I still can't fully fathom it. You're one of the sweetest person's I ever met, you cared so much about my future and happiness above yours and it seems like I'm crushing your joy and dreams. I cherished our friendship, but I don't want it to be over, let's start again when your ready. I'll be waiting for you and that's a promise I'm going to keep! I wish nothing but the best for you, I don't deserve you but whoever that lucky someone you choose I'll know that you'll not only make them happy but they'll make you happy as well. For now, just focus on yourself and please don't beat yourself up too much._

 _P.S. I know you won't accept it but I'm not giving you a choice. In the second envelope is your savings, you know I could never use that money. It's yours and you have the right to do what you want with it. Also I hope you enjoy the dish. Bon Appetit._

 _Marron (Pigtails)_


	25. Chapter 25

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 25: The Contract**

 **A/N: It's been forever, yes I know, all is well on my end and I hope you all are staying safe during this pandemic. I know I originally said this story wouldn't exceed 25 chapters but new ideas came to mind and it will be a bit longer. So enjoy. Please don't forget to favorite, follow, and review.**

A week had gone by since me and Goten split ways and even though he told me not to feel guilty about his pain I couldn't take his wise words into effect. At school I acted my usual self, but at home I sulked. Trunks would stop by occasionally if he wasn't working, bringing a box of tissues to poke fun at me before seriously telling me to cheer up and not blame myself. It was easier said than done while I wish it was the other way around. He also kept going on about how Goten would want me to be happy but at the same time how could I be happy if he wasn't happy, it wasn't fair.

I threw my book across the room, irritated that I was killing myself over this. I wanted things to go back to normal. But normal wasn't coming back anytime soon. I got up to pick up my book to hear my mother yelling Trunks was outside. He hadn't texted me he was coming, I looked out the window to indeed see a limousine parked out front. But he hadn't rode one to my house in months since I told him his grand entrance was going to blow his cover.

I made a quick call, not in the mood to leave the house. In the end I was leaving the house, he just told me to come down and said he had a surprise for me. Me being half curious and actually wanting some form of joy right now took his bait. And man did he reel me in for a surprise.

As I entered the limo I was met with his mother who gave me a small smile as she ushered me to sit. The only time I ever seen her was when we first met as she was always at work and I tried my best to avoid her since I was the cause of Trunks inheriting a new attitude of sneaking out. I wanted to shoot Trunks a dirty look for tricking me but I refrained myself.

"Hello Mrs. Briefs," I said as politely as I could.

"Bulma is fine, but it's nice to see you again Marron. You're all Trunks talks about or sneaks out to see..."

I felt her shade being thrown on me, but I choose to ignore it. I just wanted to know what was going on, was this an intervention Trunks trapped me in? I really wanted to punch the guy if that was the case. I glanced to the door on the side of me and saw how inviting it was.

"You're not in any trouble."

She seemed to have read my intent to escape. But even being assured that I wasn't in trouble didn't put my mind at ease, if I wasn't in trouble why am I here?

"I know you're wondering why you're here or why I'm here for the matter and before hand I want to apologize. We tried to break this part of the contract but were unable to."

She handed me a thick packet and I skimmed through the pages but it was the last page in the packet in very little fine print is what I read in horror.

"No, no, no, no, this can't be real." I read it over again and wasn't seeing a loophole.

It was a contract Trunks and his mother signed with the Matchmakers to find him a suitable match after his accident.

 _In agreement to our terms and conditions when we are able to locate a compatible match for Mr. Briefs said match is hereby authorized to participate in several promotional advertisements for our company till her service is no longer needed. If you disagree with these demands we will be unable to comply with your needs._

I was trapped, in an agreement I had no say in. This couldn't be happening. I looked up at Trunks he wouldn't look back at me, I turned to his mother and she just threw me another apology. I brought my attention to the window, finally noticing we were moving all this time. They were kidnapping me. Oh Trunks is so going to face my wrath when we get out the car.

I didn't know where exactly they were taking me but I knew it involved a place with lots of cameras. Curiosity sure killed the cat. I should've stayed in my room, curse my luck. When the car finally stopped I stared at the building Trunks held all his photo shoots in pure horror. I didn't want to go in and I wasn't going to be used as propaganda. I was a human with rights, not a thing they could use till they grew tired of. Trunks exited the limo first while I was ready to leave behind him and make a run for it, until Bulma held me back, saying she wanted a word with me alone. Foiling my elaborate plan to run where my feet would take me. Having no choice I stayed and for a couple of seconds we were in awkward silence till she coughed and finally decided to speak.

"Again I'm sorry you have to do this, I was a desperate mother wanting to make my son happy after his accident that I agreed to this contract without thinking how this will affect you. Trunks is really sorry but I ask that you not blame him, he had nothing to do with it. But he suffered many sleepless nights with this guilt and spent half his days trying to negotiate with them."

"It's fine," I tried to wave off her apology even though this situation was far from fine. I was locked in this contract. "But if it weren't for you I wouldn't have been matched with Trunks…so thanks," I said with a small smile, not able to meet her eyes with a face flushed with heat.

She hugged me, causing me to look up in surprise while my body tensed. I didn't like hugs especially surprise ones.

"Thank you," she whispered before ending the hug.

"I didn't do anything."

She chuckled lightly at my response, "Trust me you've done a lot. It showed me that I haven't been the best mother to Trunks. You really are a match sent from heaven, it's been so long since I seen him that happy in over a year. When he talks about you his face lights up and I'm grateful to you. I ask that you please continue to make my son happy."

I felt myself blush harder, I really wasn't anyone special but the way Trunks and his mother described me I was like an angel.

"I'll try my best," I responded to her request of continuing to make him happy. I really didn't expect her kind words as what I really expected was her scolding me for being somewhat of a delinquent and a bad example for Trunks.

She let me out the car saying she was delaying the photo shoot which I had totally forgotten about. My plans to runaway was spoiled as I saw two bodyguards standing near the door of the limo I assumed were for me to prevent me from escaping. Trunks knew me too well.

Once I entered the gated building I found Trunks sitting on a bench, slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Are you sure you can do this sleepyhead?"

His eyes shot open and his body jumped a little, my sudden appearance spooked his drowsiness. I held in my laugh.

He gave me a small smile, "Nothing coffee can't fix," he yawned.

"Didn't expect you to be a coffee person."

"With this job you come to like it."

I examined his face with a frown, his mother was right when she said he spent sleepless nights. He had a few bags underneath his eyes and darkened circles around his eyes.

"Oh, don't worry about this. That's why makeup and photoshop exist," he chuckled a bit as he reassured me once he noticed I was looking at his eyes.

I smirked a little at his humor but felt uneasy as he was casually speaking about being overworked, he was 17 for Pete's sake!

He got up and stretched, "I know you hate me now but I want you to know that-"

"It's okay, I know its not your fault," I interrupted his apology.

"But-"

"Come on man I'm rebuking your apology."

He cared enough to lose sleep and try to construct a new contract to prevent me from doing this, although he failed he was not to blame. It was the thought that counts right? Yet I also knew someway somehow things were going to unfold the way they had, contract or no contract me being matched with a celebrity meant goodbye to my normal life, but I also didn't think I would've made it this far, as I was planning on breaking it off the minute I was matched.

He chuckled a bit at my words, "I…" he couldn't find words but just broke out with a genuine smile which I should've predicted would lead to a hug. Why was his family huggers?

He held me tightly as if I were to disappear once he let go, "What did I do to deserve you?" He whispered sweetly into my ear.

My face grew red with heat from his words and his closeness. And he claimed to be shy. I didn't know how to react to his words except with silence.

"Alright lovebirds let's save the passion for the shoot," Pat who was making his way by the bench interjected.

He let me go, trying to hide the redness on his face from me but he failed.

"Well I'm glad you both could make it," he said cheerfully, handing Trunks a cup coffee.

I held my tongue even when I badly wanted to say we had no choice.

"So let's begin," he clapped his hands as he ushered us inside.


	26. Chapter 26

**MatchMakers**

 **Chapter 26: Am I A Person Or A Thing?**

Trunks was right about the coffee and makeup, he was a different person from the drowsy boy who entered the building not too long ago. I on the other hand kept receiving compliments from the triplets who did the entire styling process for the first photo I was about to take. They had handed me the last issue of Trunks sponsored magazine that hinted the revealing of his match in the next issue. Why were people so obsessed with celebrities?

…I was going to be a celebrity…the realization just dawned on me and I was hating that fact and being here all the more. I enjoy living my simple and quiet life, I didn't need it to be tainted with people trying to get the scoop of every single thing I do. I immediately grew nervous as I exited the dressing room, there were so many people, lights, and cameras. From the distance I could see Trunks giving his usual forced smile no one else ever seemed to notice was unreal nor could they detect the frustration in his eyes. He looked at me and I could see the frustration flicker to sadness, he didn't like me being sucked into his world of chains.

I rubbed my elbow as I began to walk towards the decorated set as instructed. We were wearing matching clothes, his white shirt read MAT in black while mines read CHED in red. I could already tell all these pictures will turn out cringe(y) as they force us to act lovey dovey for the camera.

Hours passed and we only took a hundred pictures of a collected set of three styles and poses. Why so long? Well I'll fill you in on something I learned not too long ago from these judge(y) photographers, I'm horrible at posing for pictures. But they didn't come to understand that it was not everyday that I took pictures for thousands of people to see.

I was fed up with all the flashes, poses, and criticism. How did Trunks do this for a year and a half?

It was time for the last shot of the day, thank god, and after getting touched up I entered the dressing room to change into my new attire. I stared in bewilderment at the piece of lace underwear they were trying to make me wear. There was so much wrong in it that its too much to list. But I did not agree to expose myself like this (not like I agreed to begin with), they were lucky I was even doing this. I was about ready to give the director a piece of my mind but Trunks seemed to have beaten me to the punch as he held a very heated conversation in the farthest corner with the director. Though I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying it didn't seem pretty. Even in only his underwear he looked like a force not to be reckoned with.

I rarely saw him so serious or angry, you really had to hit a nerve to get him that way. He headed my way once he ended the conversation, he was still fuming. He grabbed hold of my hand and guided me to his dressing room, locking the door behind him. I took a seat on the couch, contemplating if I should ask what happened but he began ranting.

"I can't believe these people," he began as he paced the room angrily. "I tell them I'll do anything for them if they just be lenient with you but they want to make a mockery of me."

I was a bit lost and he seemed to have read my lost expression as he handed me a picture from his desk. I immediately dropped it when my eyes analyzed everything. It was a woman wearing only her undergarments lying on the edge of a bed, a fierce look on her face as she faced the camera. While the man only in his boxers had one hand on her cheek, the other on her hip with a condom hanging loosely from his lips he also had looked directly at the camera.

They were trying to have us recreate this picture. My blood began to boil, they were crossing the line.

"We're not taking pictures like that right?" I asked quietly.

He stopped his pacing, the back of his ears turned pink. "Over my dead body," he muttered firmly.

I turned away as if finally noticing he was only wearing briefs when he began to slip on his clothing.

"We're leaving," he concluded as he finished tied his shoes.

I was overjoyed by his words, happy to finally leave. I can't believe I thought school was hell.

He took hold of my hand again, half dragging me out of the set once we exited his dressing room. The room was silent as everyone watched our departure, Pat trailing behind us.

"Trunks you have to honor the contract," he spoke once we were in the hallway.

"And you have to realize we're not objects especially sex objects," he hissed.

"It's not such a big deal from what you guys already do," he tried to reason.

Trunks stopped speed walking, causing me to stop as well. Both our faces flushed red. Pat was still under the impression that we had a very active sex life thanks to our stunt back at the hotel when in reality it was far from it.

He turned to Pat after getting over the minor shock of his words, "What happens in our private life will not be blasted to the world," he didn't hide his anger or refrain his finger from poking Pat's chest as he spoke every word with a venomous tone.

With that we officially left, ignoring Pat's calls to come back. We didn't make it too far as we had to wait for Trunks chauffeur and since he didn't have anything to hide his identity we couldn't roam around aimlessly but stay in the safety of this private building.

He sighed deeply, taking a seat on the same bench, I sat besides him.

Silence.

"Your kinda cute when your angry," I admitted, from getting to know him these couple of months I learned he was more of the submissive type so him taking charge was a rarity.

His frown was replaced with a smile before he chuckled, "Is that a compliment from Marron Chestnut?"

I shrugged, glad to make him smile.

He's been going through so much before meeting me and now with this contract he had a bigger burden to carry.


End file.
